The new St. Anne Catholic Church officially opened its doors Saturday with a rite of dedication presided over by leaders from throughout the Diocese of Savannah.
Following a march of singing leaders and parishioners from nearby Martha-Mary Chapel to the new edifice, Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer received the keys to the new church and gave them to Father Joseph Smith to unlock the doors.
Also during the service, leaders anointed Chrism, a consecrated oil, to the altar and walls of the 26,000-square-foot edifice.
“It’s beautiful, it’s absolutely magnificent,” Bishop Emeritus Kevin Boland said. “It’s one of the finest churches in the diocese. The people can be very proud of what they’ve done.”
About 1,000 people were expected to attend the special Mass.
For more on this story, see BryanCountyNews.com and the Feb. 11 edition of the News.