St. Francis Church, Simonstown

In the Year 2014, St Francis of Assisi Parish Church Celebrated its Bicentenary.

The History of the first Anglican Church in Southern Africa, is beautifully documented in a book published in March 2014 called 'The Six Saints of Simon's Town 1814-2014.  Written by Prof Boet Dommisse, who sadly passed away on 12 July 2014, it records the History the Parish Church from as early as 1810 to the Present day. The first built Anglican Church in Simon's Town, St George's Church, was inaugurated on 24th April 1814. An excerpt from Boet Dommisse's introduction to the book 'The Six Saints of Simon's Town 1814-2014 reads as follows: "There have been 21 Rectors, with varied Personalities, Approaches and Interests, in the last 200 years.  They provided the thread which runs through the story, and in some cases insights into the changing pattern of Worship and Service. They also contributed some interesting anecdotes, not without humour."

The Church suffered two major setbacks:  firstly when the Building collapsed in 1821, due to severe floods, and a new Church was built in 1837, and secondly when 70% of the Congregation of Simon's Town due to the Government's Forced Removal policy.  The decimated Church not only survived, but was able to contribute significantly to the Building of a Church in Ocean View to serve the displace Parishioners.