No one knows exactly why Erickson, a not-very-religious dentist from East Cleveland who died in 1993, willed $370,000 to illuminate steeples visible along I-71 and I-90 in the downtown area.

nonetheless…

Drive west on I-90, and the night sky is dominated by the illuminated twin spires of St. Colman Catholic Church; from I-490, catch a glimpse of the traditional Gothic bell tower and steeple of Zion United Church of Christ; east on I-71, notice the glow of the pale-green patina on the St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church steeple.

Since 1995, the Cleveland Restoration Society has helped light 11 churches, with several more — Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Church and possibly St. Paul Shrine — to come later this year. Someday, as many as 30 houses of worship may shine, with money from the Reinhold W. Erickson Fundof the Cleveland Foundation.

Here’s a website on the project – they’re sponsoring a tour of the steeples on 9/30. Go on it after you’ve spent the day at this exhibit at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage!

(H/T – Kevin. Thanks!)