Historic Salt Lake City Cathedral Prepares for Earthquake Repairs

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — More than six years after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake damaged Holy Trinity Cathedral, preservationists and parish leaders are working to secure the funding needed for an extensive restoration and seismic upgrade of the historic Greek Orthodox church.

The March 18, 2020, earthquake left nearly 1,500 feet of cracks throughout the cathedral’s interior. Although the building was determined to be structurally sound, the damage prompted plans for a comprehensive project that will strengthen its walls, protect its dome and stained-glass windows, and require the replacement of the interior iconostasis.

The cathedral, whose present building was completed in 1924, has served Salt Lake City’s Greek Orthodox community for more than a century. It was elevated to cathedral status in 1986, succeeding an earlier Greek Orthodox church established by the city’s growing immigrant community in 1905.

Repair and seismic-upgrade costs are now estimated at $16 million to $18 million. Because the cathedral is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, grants and other public funding could cover much of the project, while the parish continues fundraising efforts that have already raised more than $1 million.

The cathedral’s future is also marked by growth, with parish leaders reporting at least 85 converts received during the past year. The annual Greek Festival will likewise help raise funds while drawing tens of thousands of visitors to the historic cathedral and its surrounding community.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Mt. Athos monasteries received $6 million for restoration projects.