Completion of Dome Fresco in Santa Rosa, CA

By Andrew Gould on July 24, 2014

Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0131 (1197x1800)

A masterpiece of iconography has recently been completed at St. Seraphim of Sarov Orthodox Church in Santa Rosa, CA (OCA). The dome is the work of Fr. Patrick Doolan, a renowned iconographer trained by Leonid Ouspensky. He and his assistant, Fr. Moses, painted the dome in true fresco over the course of the past year. This journal has posted two previous updates on the progress with fascinating photos of the work as it progressed (update 1; update 2).

We are now pleased to announce the completion of the work and to offer the following pictures.

Note also the six chandeliers that were installed around the dome as part of this project. They are modelled upon ancient Byzantine polycandelon lamps. It is known from documentation that early Byzantine churches were fitted with polycandela hanging around the perimeter of the dome in exactly this manner. Hagia Sophia in Constantinople originally had a great circle of 40 such lamps made of solid silver. The six new chandeliers at Santa Rosa were designed and made from blackened steel by New World Byzantine Studios. Like all the fixtures at this parish, they use candles instead of electricity.

Many of the photographs are by Patrick Wilkes.

Santa Rosa Feast 2014 b (1200x1800)Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0110 (1800x1197)Dome Frescoes-010 (1800x1350) Dome Frescoes-001 (1800x1200) Dome Frescoes-016 (846x1800) Dome Frescoes-015 (762x1800) Dome Frescoes-014 (858x1800) Dome Frescoes-013 (850x1800)

Dome Frescoes-022 (846x1800) Dome Frescoes-021 (796x1800) Dome Frescoes-020 (863x1800) Dome Frescoes-019 (880x1800) Dome Frescoes-018 (854x1800) Dome Frescoes-017 (853x1800)14700818843_fc5f641a54_k 14680942965_2b7eab7dc6_k 14680630432_f6ec380823_k 14677744691_910cc44817_k 14657944136_2eecdbb62c_k 14657942826_d0fbda8283_k

14494482577_c54a323755_k 14494480827_fa21736f3f_k 14494478037_df67adebb3_k 14494471467_efb8059525_k 14494283719_3bf0addaf2_k 14494281909_fcebc7d96c_kDome Frescoes-025 (1800x1500) Dome Frescoes-024 (1800x1571) Dome Frescoes-023 (1800x1543)Dome Frescoes-028 (1800x1546) Dome Frescoes-027 (1800x1482) Fresco Reception-062 (1800x1200)Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0214 (1197x1800) Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0212 (1197x1800) Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0166 (1197x1800) Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0137 (1197x1800) Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0130 (1800x1197) Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0123 (1197x1800) Santa Rosa Feast 2014-0119 (1197x1800)Dome Frescoes-034 (1800x1200)14680986615_57558d2ca3_kDome Frescoes-009 (1800x1350) Dome Frescoes-008 (1800x1800) Dome Frescoes-007 (1800x1200) Dome Frescoes-006 (1800x1386) Dome Frescoes-005 (1800x1197) Dome Frescoes-004 (1800x1200) Dome Frescoes-003 (1800x1200)Fresco Reception-071 (1800x1440)

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2 Comments

  1. Alexander Stoykov on July 24, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    Wonderful work! Heartiest congratulations to Fr. Patrick Doolan, his assistant, Fr. Moses, and to entire parish!



  2. Gale on July 25, 2014 at 7:53 pm

    The icons are so beautiful. I love the picture with the sunlight streaming though the windows. I was in this church about 10 years ago, and Fr. Doolan gave us an iconography tour at that time of the “works in progress.” It is so wonderful to see these “older” icons again and the newer frescoes, which blend in perfectly, of course.



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