"Let's complete this magnificent House of Worship in 2021!" -Archbishop Elpidophoros
"Build a landmark or build nothing at all!" -Archbishop Demetrios
On October 17, 1989 the Loma Prieta Earthquake devastated the Annunciation Cathedral and it was demolished. By 1998, the ancillary facilities were rebuilt—gymnasium, hall, meeting rooms and classrooms, commercial kitchen, basement storage and offices for the Cathedral and the Metropolis. However, the Cathedral itself was not rebuilt, until now.
What is being constructed now is not only a parish church. It is the Cathedral church for the Metropolis of San Francisco. The Metropolis covers the seven Western States. The old Cathedral, which was built as the Valencia Street Theater in 1907 and was acquired by the community in 1928, was completely transformed into an all-in-one-building—sanctuary, hall, classrooms, meeting rooms, offices, kitchen—in 1936. San Francisco’s Annunciation Cathedral is the only Greek Orthodox church in the country which was completely destroyed as a result of an earthquake!
We are especially proud of the architecture of the new Cathedral. The design was based on Hagia Eirine, which is located near the Great Church of Hagia Sophia. Hagia Eirine was also built by the Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. It is the only major church in Constantinople which was never turned into a mosque.
With its 67-foot high 50-foot diameter dome, the new 14,000 square foot Annunciation Cathedral is destined to become a landmark, as His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios proposed in his address at the Cathedral’s 85th anniversary gala at San Francisco City Hall in 2006.
However, it is not only the Cathedral’s architectural affinity that will render it a landmark. It is also because His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew broke ground for the Cathedral when he visited San Francisco in 1997, noting the historical importance of the Cathedral: it was established in 1921 by Meletios Metaxakis, shortly before he was enthroned as Ecumenical Patriarch. As such, the new Cathedral, representing a century of history and ecclesiastical tradition, is poised to reestablish the Greek Orthodox Faith and presence in the heart of San Francisco.
On October 17, 2013 (24 years to the day of Loma Prieta!) the Building Department granted the Cathedral a building permit, and work began. A not-to-exceed contract with a construction company, in the amount of $10.7 million, was signed. This was the hard cost to complete the entire building, without the interior. Meanwhile, cost overruns raised the cost by $1.2 million. To this we should add architectural and consultant fees, as well as the cost of permits. That’s another $1.8 million. The interior space and appointments are expected to cost an additional $4 million.
The scope of work to complete the interior includes the iconography, by famed iconographer Giorgios Kordis, professor of Byzantine Iconography at the University of Athens. So far, we have raised over $8.7 million in gifts and pledges. This amount includes a $1.35 million bequest, left to us by Katherine Costopoulos, who desired nothing more than to see the church rebuilt; a $640,000 bequest left by someone totally unknown to us, given precisely because the donor was inspired by the architecture; and, third, a gift of 234 ounces of platinum coins (valued at over $350,000), by a member of a far-away parish, because we’re rebuilding the Cathedral to glorify the Name of God. We are also mindful of a very generous bequest for this purpose by the late Anne and Angelo Mountanos, which was the “seed money” that inspired us to undertake the project. In 2020, we received notice of another bequest, by the late Sam George, in the amount of $1.5 million, who desired to see the Cathedral finished. This will help us greatly as we plan a Capital Campaign to complete the interior.
Meanwhile, when we began building, Five Star Bank in Elk Grove, CA approved a loan/line of credit in the amount of $6 million, to enable us to complete the Cathedral. However, depending upon a loan to complete the project will put the community in dire financial straits, and, so, we did not take the full amount of the approved loan/line of credit. This would not have been prudent stewardship on our part.
In 2020, the world, our nation, and our Cathedral were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction has ground down to a trickle. We’ve spent the time addressing some water issues, fencing, and, generally, preparing the garage so that we can begin operating it in accordance with the Conditional Use Permit which we were granted some time ago. This will also allow us to receive some income, going forward. The building department promised to issue a certificate of occupancy for the garage, upon completion of a “clear path of travel,” which includes the final installation of the gates, the elevator lobbies and the final inspection of the elevator. All of this is being completed, as this book goes to press. Meanwhile, our architects are finalizing the bid set of plans for the interior, to enable us to invite construction bids. Concurrently, we are laying plans for the second phase of our Capital Campaign. Our goal for the campaign is $2.5 million. This is a doable amount, considering that we have reached and even achieved our goal for phase one of the Capital Campaign. Building upon this extraordinary support, we invite the community at large to give “what you have decided in your heart to give,” as St. Paul tells the Church in Corinth, “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). If you see the value of heeding both Archbishops’ calls, honoring the Ecumenical Patriarch’s historic ground breaking, back in 1997, and making firm the presence of the Greek Orthodox presence in the heart of the City, we exhort you to declare your support. This is a unique opportunity to do what few people are privileged to do in their lifetimes, which is to build a church to the glory of God!
Now, granted, this is a lot of money, relatively speaking. And, certainly, a lot of money for one community to shoulder. However, rebuild we must, both to replace the beautiful sanctuary that was lost to the earthquake, to meet the needs of our current parishioners, but also, and more importantly, because we are confident in our future. We are speaking of future generations as well as the significance of our Greek Orthodox faith and heritage. And where is this building taking place? In the heart of one of the world’s premier cities…San Francisco! To be sure, we gave quite a bit of thought to scaling back our undertaking. When the bids for phase one came in, we considered shrinking the footprint or making other significant design changes. However, this would have sent us back to the drawing board and required permitting anew—another few years lost. Meanwhile, construction costs would have risen to the point where a simpler structure would cost the same as the one we are building now. And, so, the decision to proceed as we are doing was made. It was also made unanimously. Every member of the Parish Council and the Building Committee, our project manager (a member of the Cathedral community), and every member of our Capital Campaign Committee, all spoke in favor of proceeding with the present plan. (We did not wish to compromise on the call of history.) After much discussion, on September 25, 2013 the Parish Council voted to proceed and, so, signed the contract with the construction company, confident, in faith, that we will find the remaining funds to enable us to complete the project. Future generations will judge whether we did the right thing. In our heart of hearts, we believe we have. Meanwhile, our faith is being validated. We fervently believe it’s because this community is dedicated to the Holy Theotokos, the “Mother of God,” who intercedes fervently in our behalf. In spite of the present pandemic and the economic impact, Annunciation is holding its own!
Early on in the process, Isidoros Garifalakis of Omega Industries in Vancouver, WA, offered to provide all the rebar steel at cost, and to provide fabrication labor and delivery for free, saving the project quite a bit of money. In fact, he and his family decided to donate all of it. From that time, our Capital Campaign took on new life. As we go out, person-to-person, inviting people to make their gift to the rebuilding project, we are getting results. And we are doing this patiently, and with conviction.
One new feature of the Campaign was the creation of a “Dean’s List.” People who make six-figure gifts to the Campaign (and fulfill them), are being named to this list. So far, we have 14 people on the Dean’s List. Two of the 14 have served on the Parish Council. In addition, a number of those who have already given to the Campaign are considering increasing their gift to a six-figure gift. As we go around the community, various individuals are expressing an interest in making six-figure gifts. The attractive feature of this option is that these gifts can be paid over five years. And the gifts may be made from appreciated assets, which has certain tax benefits to the donor, since the Cathedral is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation. (Its legal name is: United Greek Orthodox Community of San Francisco, The Annunciation.) In addition to special recognition, those making six-figure gifts will have naming opportunities and other benefits.
Of course, not everyone can make a six-figure gift. We are grateful for all gifts being made, however large or small. In the end, the point is not about the size of the gift, it is that the gift is made freely and out of faith, as Scripture reminds us. While all gifts are welcome, the name(s) of donor(s) who make a gift of at least $1,000. will be inscribed on the Dedication Wall in the Cathedral’s narthex, exactly as we did when the ancillary facilities were built. The Dedication Wall will be there for posterity, for future generations of faithful to view and to be inspired, just as we are inspired by the works of those who have gone before us. May the future generations see the names of all of us, members and friends of the Cathedral alike, who have answered the invitation, in our time, the invitation offered to us by Almighty God, who said to Moses, “Build me a Sanctuary, and I will appear among you” (Ex. 25:8).
<ΚΤΙΣΤΕ ΕΝΑ ΟΡΟΣΗΜΟ, Η ΜΗ ΚΤΙΣΕΤΕ ΤΙΠΟΤΕ ΑΠΟΛΥΤΩΣ>
-ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ ΣΤΟΝ ΕΟΡΤΑΣΜΟΝ ΤΗΣ 85ΗΣ ΕΠΕΤΕΙΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΘΕΔΡΙΚΟΥ ΝΑΟΥ, ΑΓ. ΦΡΑΓΚΙΣΚΟΥ, ΤΟ ΕΤΟΣ 2006
<ΜΕΧΡΙ ΤΟ ΤΕΛΟΣ ΤΟΥ 2021 Ο ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΟΣ ΝΑΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΣ ΟΦΕΙΛΕΙ ΝΑ ΑΠΟΠΕΡΑΤΩΘΕΙ>
-ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΕΛΠΙΔΟΦΟΡΟΣ ΣΤΗ ΘΕΙΑ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ ΠΟΥ ΤΕΛΕΣΕ ΤΟΝ ΙΑΝΟΥΑΡΙΟ ΤΟΥ 2020.
Προχωράει η οικοδόμηση για τον νεό Καθεδρικό Ναό αφού μετά τον σεισμό του 1989 εκτίσαμε ήδη το γυμναστήριο, τις αίθουσες διδασκαλίες, τη κουζίνα, τα γραφεία, το υπόγειο, κλπ. Όταν λέμε ξανακτίζουμε τον Καθεδρικό Ναό, δεν μιλάμε για έναν απλό ναό ή μία απλή οικοδόμηση· μιλάμε για το κέντρο του εδώ ἑλληνισμού, για το εκκλησιαστικό κέντρο της Μητροπόλεως του Αγίου Φραγκίσου, που περιλαμβάνει τις επτά δυτικές πολιτείες των Η.Π.Α. Πρόκειται για έναν ευπρεπή ναό, σημαντικό όσον αφορά την αρχιτεκτονική εμφάνηση και τις διαστάσεις, με έναν τρούλο 50 ποδών σε διάμετρο, και ύψος 65 ποδών. Ο εσωτερικός χώρος ἐχει εμβαδόν περίπου 14,000 τετραγονικά πόδια. Το κόστος ἠδη ανἠρθε στα 10,7 εκατομμύρια δολλάρια για τη πρώτη φάση, και, τώρα, χρειαζόμαστε άλλα 4 εκατομμύρια δολλάρια για την αποπεράτωση του έργου, δηλαδή την εσωτερική διακόσμηση, την Αγία Τράπεζα, το Τέμπλο, τις εικόνες, κλπ. Σας καλούμε όπως συμμετάσχετε και σεις στο ιερό έργο αυτό, της ανοικοδομήσεως του Ιερού Μητροπολιτικού Ναού, που ίδρυσε ο αείμηστος Μελέτιος Μεταξάκης (λιγό πριν γίνει Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης, το 1921), που τον θεμέλιο λίθo έθεσε ο νυν Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης, Η.Α.Θ. Παναγιότης Βαρθολομαίος, και που για 100 χρόνια εξακολουθεί νάναι το κέντρο της Ελληνορθόδοξης Πίστης και Παράδοσης μας στην καρδιά του Αγ. Φραγκίσκου.
Καὶ ποιήσεις μοι ἁγίασμα, καὶ ὀφθήσομαι ἐν ὑμῖν (Ἐξόδου 25:8)
Είμαστε υπερήφανοι για το σχέδιο του νέου Καθεδρικού Ναού.