St. Theodosius Lights Onion Domes

St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral, at 733 Starkweather Avenue in Cleveland’s historic Tremont neighborhood will illuminate its magnificent onion domes tonight for the first time, bringing the total number of steeples lit through the Cleveland Restoration Society’s Steeple Lighting Program to thirteen.   Since 1995 the Restoration Society has worked with the Reinhold Erickson Fund of the Cleveland Foundation to light the steeples and other prominent architectural features of churches that can be seen from the interstate.  Prior to lighting, each church has made necessary repairs.

 St. Theodosius reinstalled a new slate roof and copper flashing on its thirteen domes as part of the lighting project.   This Byzantine and Romanesque style structure, built in 1911, features a large central onion dome, representing Jesus.  The central dome is surrounded by twelve smaller domes, representing the twelve Apostles.  The lit domes make the church especially visible from I-490.

 In 2006, three steeples were lit through the program: Zion United Church of Christ, located at 2716 West 14^th Street, in February 2006; Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, at 2187 West 14^th Street, on December 1, 2006; and, St. Theodosius on December 21, 2006.  Initially known as the United German Evangelical Protestant Church, Zion UCC was founded in 1867 to serve German immigrants in the Tremont neighborhood.  The present church structure was constructed in 1884 and required repairs to the roof prior to lighting.  The lighting design uses four strategically placed luminaries, keeping overall energy consumption and maintenance to a minimum.  The 1918 Romanesque style Church of the Annunciation re-leaded their stained glass windows, installed new storms to enable appropriate ventilation and painted the base of the dome and several exterior doors. 

 “By illuminating some of Cleveland’s rich architectural heritage of spectacular religious buildings, the presence of these institutions is enhanced and they become beacons of hope for their surrounding communities,” says Michael Fleenor, director of preservation programs for the Society.  The Society’s Sacred Landmarks Assistance Program assists Northeast Ohio’s religious institutions with the repair and maintenance of their historic properties.  Through the generosity of the Reinhold W. Erickson Fund of the Cleveland Foundation, the Society is able to offer financial assistance and technical support to Cleveland religious buildings visible from the Inner Belt for the purpose of illuminating their steeples, domes, towers and other prominent architectural features.

 The Society has maps available for the public to take a self-guided driving tour of Cleveland’s lit steeples.  Maps and other information are available from at the Society’s headquarters, the Sarah Benedict House, 3751 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland.  Call 216-426-3111 for more information or visit www.clevelandrestoration.org.

 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.

   ###