November 3, 2003

CONTACT:
Deanna L. Bremer
Director of Marketing
Cleveland Restoration Society
Phone: (216) 426-3111
Fax: (216) 426-1975
E-mail: dbremer@clevelandrestoration.org

Cleveland Restoration Society and St. Colman Church Light Up the Night!

On Saturday, November 22nd, the eve of the Feast of St. Colman, join the Cleveland Restoration Society and St. Colman Roman Catholic Church to celebrate the lighting of the church’s two 126-foot domed bell towers. St. Colman Church is located at 2027 West 65th Street, Cleveland. Through participation in the Society’s Steeple Lighting Program, the congregation received a $20,000 award to help cover the cost of repairs and lighting implementation. The award was made possible by the Reingold W. Erickson Fund of The Cleveland Foundation.

The St. Colman parish was established in 1880 to serve Catholics living in the vast area south of Lake Erie and west of West 54th Street. Members first worshiped in a modest wood frame church; today, the congregation gathers in a spectacular limestone structure built between 1913-1918. Irish craftsmen completed much of the fine interior furnishings, which were shipped over from Europe despite war delays. The church is a designated Cleveland Landmark and is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Having recently completed major improvements, including the installation of a new roof and repainting the sanctuary, the current church leadership works hard to maintain the beauty and splendor of this magnificent sacred landmark. The lighting ceremony will be a culmination of the church’s dedicated preservation efforts. The exterior lighting highlights the church’s presence within the community and gives concrete expression to the outreach and mission that takes place within the walls of the church.

Other Cleveland landmarks that have completed projects through the lighting program include Pilgrim Congregational Church in Tremont, St. Patrick Catholic Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Ohio City, and Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. For more information on the Steeple Lighting Program, contact Daria Gasparini, Sacred Landmarks Assistance Program, at (216) 426-3118.

The Cleveland Restoration Society is the region’s largest non-profit preservation organization and is a Local Partner affiliate of the National Trust. Founded in 1972, the Society is dedicated to the preservation of greater Cleveland’s historic resources.

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