With all the pomp befitting a 136-year-old church, a special Mass dedicating and blessing the renovations and restoration of Queen of All Saints in Concord was delivered by newly appointed Oakland Archdiocese Bishop Salvatore Cordileone.

"It was a marvelous event," said Father Michael Cunningham. "It was kind of a hybrid blessing, dedication."

The church has been at its present location since 1953, and keeping with tradition, it was consecrated or blessed at that time. Explained Cunningham, "You can't re-bless something that has already been blessed."

Nearly a decade ago, what started as a few repairs and seismic retrofit became a major $2.5 million renovation of antique treasures, found treasures and a determination to meld the old with the new seamlessly.

"(The Mass) was a rededication of things we already had," Cunningham said.

The elegant processional began around 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, with the holy cross held high by one of the alter servers coming first, followed by others carrying candles and thuribles, the vessels for the burning incense. A Knights of Columbus color guard, also part of the entrance ceremonies, held up their swords.

"Normally, they don't draw their swords," said Cunningham. "They held them to create a corridor for us."

Passing were 10 priests from Concord parishes and Queen of All Saints, then two deacons and the bishop.

Cordileone arrived at the "new" alter and rails that were created

The ambry or cabinet where the holy oils are kept was blessed, as were the stained glass windows.

The bishop also blessed the baptismal font, which, like so many areas of the renovated church is constructed from the original materials and incorporated into the new sanctuary.

At the end of Mass, Cunningham turned to the alter where he saw an unfamiliar chalice.

"When I saw it, I thought 'that's not mine,'" he recalled. "I thought it has to be the bishop's."

But, the chalice was his, or soon would be, when the bishop presented it to him. While Cunningham was on vacation, parishioners had raised money for the gift.

"I was surprised," he said. "I didn't know it was coming."

Following the recessional, Cordileone, appointed the fourth Bishop of Oakland by Pope Benedict XVI and installed May 5, attended a church reception.

"It was a great opportunity for the bishop to get out to one of the more vibrant parishes and participate in the rededication of the church," said Mike Brown, the bishop's spokesman.

Cunningham said Queen of All Saints hosted the beginning of the "Year of the Priest" 2010 for the diocese Oct. 27, attended by two bishops and about 100 priests.

"They were very much impressed," said Cunningham.

Although there are still finishing touches to be done, the renovation project is complete and Cunningham said, "The end results are better than we anticipated."

Queen of All Saints began in 1867 as a mission established in Pacheco by the Benicia Dominican Province and was called St. Michael's. Due to frequent flooding, it was moved in 1869 and its name changed to Regina Todos Santos, "Queen of All Saints."

A mission church was built at Salvio and East streets in 1873, and in 1923 became an independent parish. In 1953, the current Spanish mission-style church moved a few blocks to its present location at Grant Street and Almond Avenue.