CLEVELAND — A GoFundMe has been created for the St. Theodosius Orthodox Christian Cathedral in Cleveland's Tremont Neighborhood following last week's fire.
Anyone interested in donating to St. Theodosius Orthodox Christian Cathedral can click HERE.
The GoFundMe, which was created by Father Jan Cizmar, states the following:
"This church was home for many generations of Eastern European immigrants, their descendants and new converts who discovered the true faith. It is on the registry of Historical Landmarks and must be restored to its original beauty and architecture. To do this, we must use artisans who know how to perform 113-year-old construction methods, which makes it very expensive to complete. Many people ask if we have insurance and yes we do, but we know it will cost much more than that. Please help us secure the funding to restore this beautiful treasure, our cathedral and historical landmark."
The flames broke out at the church on Tuesday afternoon at around 4:30 p.m. near Starkweather Avenue and Professor Street.
3News cameras spotted smoke pouring from the 112-year-old building. Authorities reported no injuries, but firefighters on scene requested backup battling the flames.
Cleveland fire officials previously told 3News that Tuesday's fire at the historic St. Theodosius Orthodox Christian Cathedral in the Tremont neighborhood has been ruled as accidental. Specifically, investigators say the fire was caused by roofers.
"The main dome that you can see is not very stable right now. It may potentially fall to the right side. So we do not know if we will be able to save it, if it is salvageable or not. It is a lot of stress on all of us," said Father Cizmar to 3News last week.
3News also learned last week that one of the historic building's trademark features will have to be removed.
A source close to the investigation of the fire told our own Lindsay Buckingham that the dome will come down in the next few days. Crews will be putting up construction fencing around the perimeter of the church in preparation for the job.
St. Theodosius was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, the same year it was similarly designated a Cleveland landmark. It also gained fame for its role in the Oscar-winning film "The Deer Hunter," serving as the location for the wedding between John Savage and Rutanya Alda's characters.