Holy Virgin Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Virgin Cathedral |
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as seen from Geary Street (2018)
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia |
| District | Richmond |
| Region | United States |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location |
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| State | California |
 Location in San Francisco County
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Oleg N. Ivanitsky |
| Founder | John of Shanghai and San Francisco |
| Groundbreaking | 1961 |
| Completed | 1965 |
| Direction of façade | South |
The Holy Virgin Cathedral is a beautiful Russian Orthodox church located in the Richmond District of San Francisco. It is also known as the Joy of All Who Sorrow (Russian: Радосте-Скорбященский собор). This cathedral is the largest of six cathedrals belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. This church group has more than 400 parishes around the world.
History of the Cathedral
Russian people first settled in California at Fort Ross in 1812. The first Russian Orthodox church in San Francisco started on June 2, 1927. An earlier Holy Virgin Cathedral was located on Fulton Street. That building still stands today and was named a San Francisco Landmark in 1970.
The current cathedral is at 6219 Geary Boulevard. It was founded by St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. His birth name was Mikhail Maximovitch. The neighborhood where the cathedral stands is known for its Russian shops and restaurants. The Holy Virgin Cathedral is a very noticeable Russian building there.
Construction of the cathedral began on June 25, 1961. The building was finished in 1965. The cathedral was officially opened and blessed on January 31, 1977. St. John, who passed away in 1966, is buried inside the cathedral.
Cathedral Architecture
The Holy Virgin Cathedral was designed by Oleg N. Ivanitsky. It has five special onion domes on top. These domes are covered in 24 carat gold leaf, which means they are covered in very thin sheets of pure gold.
The inside of the cathedral is incredibly beautiful. It is filled with many icons, religious paintings, and mosaics. A very large chandelier lights up the space. You can see this amazing interior if you attend religious services or visit on special visitation days.
The beautiful mosaic artwork on the outside of the building was created by Alfonso Pardiñas of Byzantine Mosaics.
Programs and Leadership
The main priest of the cathedral is Kyrill (Dmitrieff). He is the Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America. The archbishop grew up in San Francisco and went to the University of San Francisco.
The cathedral also runs a school for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. This school is called the Saint John of San Francisco Orthodox Academy. In addition, the cathedral has a bookstore and provides housing for senior citizens.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de la Santa Virgen (San Francisco) para niños
