Lackawanna, N.Y. (WBEN) - "It's absolutely stunning as you come down South Park Avenue or Ridge Road toward the Basilica, as you see the shimmering copper."
Father David LiPuma, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica talked with WBEN on Thursday as the iconic Basilica in Lackawanna is revealing a new dome.
He said the process itself is amazing as well.
"The dome itself is approximately 72 feet in diameter, and from the base of the dome to the top of the cupola it's about 45 feet. In terms of a pie shape,
there are 16 sections, and seven have been completed so far," Fr. LiPuma said.
It's a total dome replacement of the original copper dome that Father Baker put in place 100 years ago.
"It's pretty amazing that it has lasted this long but it's no longer feasible to keep patching it as water infiltration has been causing interior damage," Fr. LiPuma noted.
The new dome will eventually turn green like the last one.
The $3 million project is being funded by a "Save a Dome, Adopt an Angel" campaign.
LiPuma says it's been met with great success.
"Every week, people will drop envelopes in the collection. Sometimes there's $1, $2, $5, $100, $500, or $1,000," he said. "When Fr. Baker began this 100 years ago, he asked for $.25 from people to take care of everything here in the city of charity. When he was building the Basilica, he asked for $10 for a brick of marble. It was built by those sacrificial gifts. Every dollar gift touches my heart, because it means someone is saying I want to do something. This is all I can do."
For LiPuma himself, he says it's a humble privilege to see the outpouring of people, their faith, their trust, and their desire to make sure that what Fr. Baker built continues for another 100 years.