St. Theodosius In Cleveland Is An Absolute Work Of Art
By Nikki Rhoades|Published March 25, 2018
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
One can often begin decoding a city’s history by taking a good look at its architectural gems. A beautiful building may reveal a bit about the cultural influences of its builders or the community it served, and that is especially true when it comes to local churches. When one thinks of Cleveland area churches, images of Old Stone Church or St. John’s Episcopal Church probably come to mind. Those gorgeous churches are certainly worthy of recognition, but few places in The Land compare to the heavenly beauty of this one Tremont cathedral:
If you ever find yourself on Cleveland's West Side, be sure to drive by St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
This beautiful structure, located at 733 Starkweather Ave., adds Old World beauty to the Cleveland skyline. The church's parish was founded in 1896 when Eastern European immigrants were settling into the Tremont community in large numbers.
This gorgeous church is far from being the oldest in Cleveland, but its history is fascinating nonetheless.
Before the Parish settled into this gorgeous edifice, they previously worshiped at two different sites in the area. The Parish was the first Orthodox group in Cleveland, so they served the needs of a multitude of early Orthodox Christian immigrants before they established their own respective ethnic churches. St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral was built between 1911 and 1912, and it was finally consecrated in 1913.
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The interior of the cathedral is exquisitely decorated.
The Neo-Byzantine style architecture of this gorgeous cathedral has earned it recognition as one of the best examples of Russian church architecture in the nation. Some of the gorgeous murals on the interior were painted by Andrej Bicenko, a Russian immigrant and artist with training from Sankt Petersburg Academy.
The iconic onion domes on the cathedral are typical of Russian church design. Each dome has a meaning; the largest is symbolic of Christ and the surrounding 12 domes are representative of the biblical apostles.
The Russian church that inspired the architect of Cleveland's loveliest cathedral was tucked away in Moscow. It was the tallest Orthodox Christian church in the world, and its beauty was legendary. Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture premiered there, and its complex structure was said to have taken decades to build. It was destroyed in 1931 on the orders of Joseph Stalin. The Soviet leaders intended to build a palace on the site, but their dream was never realized. A new Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was built on the site between 1995 and 2000.
Cleveland's loveliest cathedral and some of its members have ties to Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken.
In 1977, St. Theodosius served as the site of the wedding scene in the 1978 film The Deer Hunter. Father Stephen Kopestonsky served as the priest in the scene, and other parishioner appeared as wedding guests in the scene.
This breathtaking church is a beautiful piece of Cleveland history, and it is truly unlike any other church in the region.
St. Theodosius is breathtaking, and its beauty has humbled Clevelanders for over a century. Have you ever seen this gorgeous church in person? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
If you admire the architecture of local churches, you’ll find that this one is like a mini Notre Dame.
