CHICAGO, IL, August 18, 2008 –Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral is missing its usual sunny glow these days. Eight stained-glass windows that normally surround the one hundred plus year old cathedral’s dome have been temporarily removed and boarded up as the first phase of a long-anticipated multi-year restoration project is underway. Holy Trinity, located at 1121 N. Leavitt St. in Chicago, is the last remaining Louis Sullivan-designed church in the world.

The stained-glass windows around the dome have been taken off site to be re-leaded, repaired, and restored to their original color palette. This process is estimated to take six weeks, during which time, other elements of the dome will be attended to. The decorative metal work, for which Louis Sullivan was known for, and stucco will be repaired or replaced as needed.

Completion of work is expected well before the Cathedral’s annual celebration on October 31st, honoring St. John Kochurov of Chicago. St. John, then the priest attached to St. Vladimir’s parish, hired Louis Sullivan to design the church and adjacent rectory and was martyred after his return to Russia during the Bolshevik revolution. Holy Trinity was consecrated in 1903 by St. Tikhon of Moscow, and became a Cathedral in 1922. In the late 1970’s the Cathedral and rectory were listed on the National Register and received official designation as a Chicago Landmark.

Restoration plans for the Cathedral were drawn from a 2003 building study by architectural firm, Johnson-Lasky Architects. Monies from a grant recently awarded by Partners in Preservation will be used to partially fund the project. Partners in Preservation is an alliance between American Express and the National Trust for Historic Places.

The uniquely designed curved metal roofs, roof decks and in-laid gutters will be replaced. In addition, the front doors, railings and ornate metal canopy, a defining characteristic of the Cathedral, are undergoing a much-needed facelift. “The ornate metal canopy is one of a kind and is suffering from years of neglect,” said Holy Trinity Council Vice President and Building and Restoration Committee Chairman, Charles Fetterly. “We are committed to restoring the historical gem that we have. You don’t throw away the Mona Lisa ‘cause it’s old,” he said.

To support communications about the restoration efforts, the Cathedral launched a new web site, http://www.friendsofholytrinity.com, in June. While the parish’s main web site, http://www.holytrinitycathedral.net, is a vital resource for times of services and general parish information, the goal of this new site is to increase awareness of the Cathedral’s historic and architectural significance and serve as a primary method of communicating restoration progress. http://www.friendsofholytrinity.com features photo galleries of each major phase, historical perspective, and progress reports. Visitors can join a mailing list to receive updates and invitations to events and download information on how they can support the project.

“It’s important that we keep our parishioners and friends updated on the progress of each phase of the restoration,” said Chairman, Charles Fetterly, “They have been very supportive of the project.” Those interested in learning more about the restoration project are encouraged to visit www.friendsofholytrinity.com or call the Cathedral at 773-486-6064.

Holy Trinity is the See Cathedral of His Eminence, the Most Reverend JOB, Archbishop of Chicago and the Midwest, Orthodox Church in America. It serves as a spiritual home to individuals and families living in the surrounding Ukranian Village/Wicker Park community, Chicago and its suburbs.