Iglesia El Calvario A Beacon Once More

For more than a century, the steeple of La Iglesia Pentecostal El Calvario has stood tall above Lincoln Park like a watchful guardian, bearing silent witness to the spiritual, cultural, and demographic transformations of Cleveland’s near west side.

Designed by renowned ecclesiastical architect Sidney Rose Badgley, the church’s slender spire gracefully ascends from a square tower, adorned with arched windows and detailed stonework that contribute to the architectural and historic fabric of the neighborhood.

Badgley also designed the other two churches at the intersection of Starkweather Avenue and West 14th Street: Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ and St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church. Together, these three landmarks form a striking trio within the Tremont Historic District, standing as enduring testaments to the successive waves of migration and immigration that have shaped Greater Cleveland’s rich and diverse heritage.

Though battered by Father Time and Mother Nature, the steeple is now restored and for the first time, illuminated.

Last summer, the church completed a full steeple restoration thanks to a partnership between the congregation, the Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS), and the Steeple Lighting Program, an initiative launched through a bequest by the late Dr. Reinhold W. Erickson (1904-1992) and administered through the Cleveland Foundation.

Now, El Calvario joins a constellation of Cleveland churches whose steeples glow at night, celebrating their architectural splendor and steadfast presence in the life of the city.

“We’re very proud,” said Gamalier Cirilo, Music Director and longtime member of the congregation. “About 15 years ago, we started fixing up the church, making it our own.”

Located at 2536 W. 14th Street, Iglesia Pentecostal El Calvario occupies a striking Gothic Revival structure originally built for Emmanuel Evangelical United Brethren Church. Construction of the current building began in 1909, replacing an earlier wood-frame sanctuary that had stood on the site since 1874. The original, predominantly German congregation first formed in 1865.

The building was later home to Cleveland Baptist Temple, which relocated to the space after its original church building on West 53rd Street was demolished to make way for the construction of Interstate 90.

In 1994, the church was reborn as El Calvario, serving a predominantly Puerto Rican Pentecostal congregation. Today, it remains not only a place of worship but also a cultural anchor for Cleveland’s Latino community and a vital presence in Tremont as one of the last remaining Spanish-speaking congregations in the neighborhood.

As El Calvario continues to serve its members, it also stands as part of a broader legacy that honors Cleveland’s historic steeples as enduring symbols of community and continuity. For generations, these spires have served as points of orientation both spiritual and geographic across the city’s skyline.

Few understood that legacy more intimately than Dr. Reinhold W. Erickson. Born in Cleveland on September 25, 1904, to Swedish immigrants August and Olga Erickson, he graduated from Case Medical School in 1930 and went on to build a career in dentistry. Dr. Erickson lived and practiced in East Cleveland, eventually retiring to a modest home he built along Lake Erie in the Moss Point neighborhood of Euclid. An only child himself, he never had children of his own.

Inspired by his travels through Europe and the grandeur of its cathedrals, Dr. Erickson developed a deep appreciation for sacred architecture. He dreamed of seeing Cleveland’s churches illuminated as landmarks of civic beauty. When he passed away in 1992, he left his life savings of $350,000 to the Cleveland Foundation to bring that vision to life.

Since its launch, the Steeple Lighting Program has brought light to 21 Cleveland churches, many of them situated along the I-71 corridor, creating a striking welcome for travelers arriving from the airport.

Among the program’s beneficiaries are El Calvario’s neighbors, Pilgrim Congregational and St. George Antiochian Orthodox. Other churches that have received steeple lighting include: Annunciation Greek Orthodox, Archwood UCC, Franklin Circle Church, Holy Ghost Byzantine, Immanuel Lutheran (Scranton Rd.), Old Stone Church, Our Lady of Mercy, St. Andrew Kim, St. Colman, St. Michael Archangel, St. Patrick (Bridge Ave.), St. Paul Shrine, St. Stephen, St. Theodosius, Trinity Cathedral, Trinity Lutheran (W. 30th St.), Zion Lutheran (E. 30th St.), and Zion UCC (W. 14th St.).

“The restoration of El Calvario’s steeple was no small task,” said Margaret Lann, Director of Preservation Services & Publications for the Cleveland Restoration Society. The effort required close collaboration with architects, engineers, and contractors. Scaffolding surrounded the building as crews removed rotted wood, reinforced support structures, and completed intricate masonry repairs.

Today, the congregation continues to raise funds for ongoing repairs to the historic building. At a time when declining attendance, and limited resources threaten many of Cleveland’s most iconic sacred spaces, El Calvario stands as a sign of hope and a reminder that God is still working. The repairs are a physical reflection of the spiritual renewal happening within.

The stained glass windows of Iglesia Pentecostal El Calvario glow at dusk, revealing the rich architectural detail of this historic Tremont church.