A small group of parishioners braved the cold today to be on hand for the dome lift off. A crane arrived to begin the process of refurbishing our almost 40 year-old "onion dome".
Workers from Unique Services and Applications in Pittsburgh (a steeplejack and flag pole company) removed the golden dome in order to re-clad it in a state-of-the-art titanium stainless steel sheeting made by Millennium Forms. The new dome will be a combination of gold and blue. The titanium stainless steel is actually not colored, rather it is a process of light refraction and treating the stainless steel so that it appears gold and blue to the eye.
Work started this week and the dome will be brought back and reset some time next spring. The dome refurbishment is a part of a greater restoration effort of the church and grounds that Parish Council is undertaking.