The heart & soul of installing terrazzo in a finished church

Installing a new terrazzo floor within a finished church with a highly ornamented interior required special care both in the design process and on the job site, according to Mark Moreal of the OA Bertin Company of Cleveland, the terrazzo contractor on the project.

Built in the early 1960s, the church is a contemporary example of modern Byzantine revival architecture. Taking design cues from Serbian Orthodox Byzantine churches, the sanctuary’s interior is a colorful and delicate tapestry of iconography, imported Serbian frescos, stained glass, and mosaic.

To protect that art, the walls had to be covered and the entire church tented while the contractor removed old carpet and asphalt tile, then ground and shot-blasted the concrete.

Once the surface was prepared, it took a team effort to match the existing design.

The group worked with color swatches, paint colors, and samples to develop a custom color scheme that complemented the existing colors in the sanctuary.

Liturgical colors added significance to the symbols in the floor, including the blue that traditionally symbolizes the Mother of Christ. The double-headed eagle in front of the altar symbolizes the spiritual and human strength and unity of the Serbian people. Below the center dome is the symbol for the “Tear of the Theotokos,” the Virgin Mary. The patterning around the altar alludes to the iconic 1910 St. George’s Church in Oplenac, where six generations of Serbian royalty lie buried.

The architect on the St. Sava terrazzo installation, Noel Cupkovic, is a parishioner who has brought his expertise to several renovation projects for the church over the years. He led the design team, which included the parish priest. The color palette was approved by the bishop.

“It really came together,” Moreal reported. “They put their hearts and soul into it.”