Metropolis of San Francisco Shrine

The Growth and Witness of the Metropolis Shrine

Since its founding in 1998, Saint Anna Greek Orthodox Christian Church has matured into a vibrant and vital ministry, serving families across the greater Roseville area and throughout Placer County.

While maintaining a rich liturgical rhythm and pastorally relevant ministries for our local flock, the providential reception of the Holy Relics of Saints Joachim and Anna in 2007 distinguished our parish as a Metropolis Shrine dedicated to the Sanctity of Marriage and Family.

Today, this sacred distinction shapes our daily life as we:

• Welcome pilgrims from near and far who journey to venerate and seek the intercessions of these Holy Ancestors of God.

• Maintain a prayer listing of names for those desiring marriage, those struggling to conceive, and expectant mothers who are with child.

• Distribute holy oil and icons blessed directly over these Holy Relics to faithful souls across the globe.

These ministries—offered freely to Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians alike—stand as a testament to our shared commitment to Jesus Christ. This witness has increased in great measure because of the physical presence of these Saints, as well as through the prayers of those who have gone before us. We remember with deep love the priestly prayers of the Reverend Father Demetrius Dogias and the other departed "founders" of our community, all of blessed memory.

Like those who laid our foundation, we are obliged to remain steadfast in the Orthodox Christian faith, to thoughtfully and pastorally serve our people, and to lovingly share the Gospel with all—knowing that God wills "all be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth" ($1\text{ Timothy }2:4$).

Architectural Triumph: The New Sanctuary

In the summer of 2023, Saint Anna’s reached a historic milestone with the completion of our new sanctuary.

The traditional Byzantine architectural style—crowned by a 50-foot-tall dome and a prominent gold cross—embodies the ancient Orthodox ethos that "God is with us." Through its expansive dome and sacredly adorned interior spaces, the new temple is designed to evoke a profound connection to the historic churches and monasteries found throughout the Mediterranean world.

The 7,500-square-foot sanctuary completes the architectural master plan of our campus, utilizing timeless materials:

• Structural Elements: Durable masonry, classic stucco finishing, and traditional clay tile roofing.

• The Covered Archway: A beautiful, arched walkway that physically and visually connects Founders’ Hall to the new sanctuary.

• The Bell Tower: Housed in the upper section is a hand-crafted, 450 kg ($992\text{ lbs}$) bell commissioned from a historic foundry in Greece. Four additional bells, previously received from a foundry in Russia, will be installed within the lower tiers of the tower.

• The Gold-Leaf Crosses: Precision-cut steel crosses—crafted by our own parishioners—adorn the structures. The smaller cross on the bell tower stands 3 ½ feet tall, while the monumental cross atop the main dome stands 6 ½ feet tall. Both were meticulously coated in 24-carat gold leaf by a master craftsman from the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Plateia and the Sacred Entrance

Directly in front of the church lies the Plateia (the courtyard square), a traditional gathering space where the faithful commune before and after divine services. This space is also integrated into our liturgical life. On Palm Sunday, for instance, the faithful conclude their outdoor procession beneath the prominent palm trees, waving branches and chanting as the crowds did in Jerusalem: "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Future plans for this courtyard include the installation of a beautiful stone fountain to the right of the square.

The heavy wooden doors through which the faithful enter the house of God were handcrafted by the renowned Oikonomides family in Thessaloniki, Greece—the same artisans responsible for all the masterfully sculpted woodwork inside the sanctuary.

The Typography of Prophecy

Carved directly into the wooden lintel above the central entrance doors is an icon of Saints Joachim and Anna. It beautifully depicts the Holy Ancestors of God with the Virgin Mary blossoming from the Root of Jesse (the father of King David). This iconographic detail visually proclaims the fulfillment of scriptural prophecy: that the Virgin’s Son, Jesus the Christ, descended from the royal lineage of David, arriving precisely as the promised Messiah.

An Elegant and Regal Interior

The interior of the sanctuary is designed to be both elegant and regal. Beneath the sprawling 46-foot-diameter dome, the faithful pray in an airy space illuminated by natural light pouring through 24 clerestory windows set into the dome’s pendentive arches.

The nave accommodates approximately 360 seated worshippers and has been finished with a specialized cement plaster formulated specifically for the direct application of fine mosaic tiles.

The interior iconography will blend two classic styles:

• Masterful Mosaics: Prepared in Florence, Italy, by the world-renowned Mellini family—celebrated for their mosaic installations in major historical cathedrals globally—these will adorn the lower interior walls of the nave.

• Mural Iconography: Large-scale icons will be painted on canvas in Athens, Greece, by an acclaimed master iconographer, then permanently affixed to the walls.

• Athonite Panels: Additional iconographic panels are being prepared by holy monks on Mount Athos.

The parish anticipates the first phase of this interior beautification—including the initial mosaics and stained-glass art windows—to be installed inside the nave later this year.