The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral has been a spiritual home for Orthodox Christians in the Bay Area for more than a century. Founded in 1921, the Cathedral serves as the seat of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, which shepherds parishes throughout the western United States.

Today, our community is engaged in the historic effort to complete a new Cathedral church, one that honors our past, serves our present needs, and inspires generations to come.

On October 17, 1989, the Loma Prieta Earthquake devastated the Annunciation Cathedral building. The original structure, once the Valencia Street Theater purchased by the community in 1928 and later converted into a church, sustained such severe damage that it had to be demolished.

By 1998, the Cathedral community had rebuilt essential facilities on the site, including the parish hall, classrooms, meeting spaces, and administrative offices. Yet for decades the Cathedral itself, the sacred space for worship, remained unrealized. The construction of a new Cathedral represents the fulfillment of a long-standing dream for the faithful of Annunciation.

The new Cathedral is not only a parish church. It is the Cathedral church of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, which serves Orthodox Christians across seven western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

Groundbreaking for the project was performed by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during his visit to San Francisco in 1997, an event that underscored the importance of the Cathedral to the broader Orthodox world. Construction officially began after the City of San Francisco granted the building permit on October 17, 2013, exactly twenty-four years after the earthquake that destroyed the original Cathedral.

The architectural design of the new Cathedral draws inspiration from Hagia Eirene in Constantinople, one of the great Byzantine churches built during the reign of Emperor Justinian in the sixth century. The building features a majestic central dome rising approximately 67 feet high, with a 50-foot diameter dome symbolizing the heavens. The structure includes approximately 14,000 square feet of sacred and liturgical space, with multiple levels including a chapel, Metropolis offices, and parking facilities beneath the main church.

The new Cathedral is designed not only as a place of worship, but also as a visible sign of the Orthodox Christian presence in the heart of San Francisco. For more than a century, the Annunciation Cathedral has served the city through worship, education, and outreach ministries, including programs that provide food, support, and assistance to those in need throughout the community. Completing the Cathedral will ensure that this ministry continues for generations to come.

The construction of the Cathedral has been made possible through the faith and generosity of parishioners, friends, and benefactors. Significant gifts and bequests have helped bring the project forward, and ongoing fundraising efforts continue to support the completion of the interior spaces and sacred appointments. Every gift, large or small, helps bring us closer to opening the doors of our new spiritual home.

To build a church is a rare and profound blessing. The new Annunciation Cathedral will stand as a testament to the faith of those who came before us and those who will follow. Together, we continue the sacred work of building a house of worship dedicated to the glory of God and the honor of the Holy Theotokos.

If you would like to support the completion of the new Cathedral, please consider making a gift to the Cathedral Building Fund.