Parish Church

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Picture taken 11:36am 17 Feb 2012

The San Rafael parish church has become a landmark for the city. While you are at the Mission be sure to step over and see the church; particularly if you like stained glass windows. The statue of the Angel Saint Rafael appears to be blessing the entire city from the hill where the church sits above the Mission (which you can see in front in the picture on the left).

Picture taken 11:37am 17 Feb 2012

Interior of the Church

Picture taken 4:32pm 18 Feb 2012

The church is larger inside than it looks from the street. There is a long nave leading up to an altar that allows services to be seen from three sides. A large cross dominates the back wall.

Picture taken 4:32pm 18 Feb 2012

Picture taken 11:06am 17 Feb 2012

Picture taken 11:10am 17 Feb 2012

There are also side altars off the main church, including one to the side of the main altar by the cross.

Picture taken 11:13am 17 Feb 2012

And, don't forget to walk up toward the front of the church and then turn around and look back. The small stained glass window with a Moorish influence to its design can be seen through the choir loft.

Picture taken 11:04am 17 Feb 2012

Stained Glass Windows

The parish church has a nice collection of stained glass windows. Some are individual panes about an individual. Others are dedicated to a particular verse in the bible. Taken as a whole, the larger windows depict the life of Christ. Click on any one of the windows below and see an expanded version where you can move between them or just start a slide show.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Matthew	Mark	Luke	John

Other Saints and Scenes (The lighter five panes are in a back chapel to the side of the altar.)
Kingdom Keys	Jerome	Augustine	Ambrose	Gregory
Mary & Jesus	Isaac obeys	Young David	Samuel	Infant Moses

Biblical Scenes (Seen in the right order, these form the story of the life of Jesus.)
Take My Body	As You Will	It Is Done	He Has Risen
Simon Blessed Them	Word Made Flesh	Hail Full of Grace	Ave Maria
Ascension		Behold My Father

Future Plans

As of 2012 the parish was running "The Campaign for Saint Rafael" which has the goal of remaking the area in front of the church so it is more visitor friendly. At present, the front area is not directly accessible by the handicapped and even for the able, the inclined ground can be difficult to navigate. Here is how they hope to change the front...

Picture from the Campaign Flyer

California Landmark

The California landmark sign for this Mission is not at the Mission itself but, instead, along U.S. 101 at the Northeast corner of Merrydale and Southbound 101 at the San Pedro Road offramp. It was placed there during the days when landmarks were placed along the road to aid travelers. While decades ago, a Mission San Rafael pastor asked that the sign be moved, that continues to be a background State Government task.

Photo courtesy of Donald Laird http://www.sonic.net/~laird/landmarks/counties/200-299/220.html

...and it reads...

San Rafael Arcángel Mission

One and a half miles southwest was the San Rafael Arcángel Mission, established in 1817 by the Franciscans. This was the twenteth in the chain of 21 California Missions. After the "Decress of Secularization" in 1834, the buildings gradually fell into ruin. Reconstruction of the Mission on the original site took place in 1949.

State Registered Landmark No. 220

Marker placed by California Centennials Commission in cooperation with Marin County Historical Society.
Dedicated October 24, 1950

That's the end of the tour. Thank you. Please visit the other missions.