The Ornamental Restoration of the Copper Cross for St. Vartan Cathedral in New York City

St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, named after the 5th-century martyr who defended Armenian Christianity, stands as a landmark of faith and heritage in New York City. Completed in 1968 after decades of effort by the Armenian-American community, the cathedral was built to serve as a spiritual and cultural center for the Eastern Diocese. Its architecture, featuring a limestone facade, a gold-leafed dome, and a spacious granite plaza, reflects traditional Armenian design while harmonizing with its urban surroundings.

Working with Nicholson & Galloway, Inc., H&L had the privilege of fabricating a new cross to crown the cathedral’s dome as part of the ornamental metal restoration project.

The cross, measuring approximately 14 feet high by 6 feet wide, was constructed with a 

steel core, primed and wrapped with an underlayment layer before being clad in 20-ounce copper with a mill finish. All joints were carefully soldered, ensuring smooth lines. A single pick-up point was incorporated at the top cross to facilitate lifting. As part of the approval procedures, H&L supplied a full-size sample of the cross hand and provided a set of non-engineered shop drawings.

Once completed, the cross was shipped in one piece to N&G’s shop in New York, where it was gilded before being lifted into place. The moment was marked with a blessing ceremony, celebrating both the craftsmanship behind the cross and its spiritual significance.

Check out the video produced by the Eastern Diocese that beautifully captures the impact of this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWzDXgqLMqA