revisions to the school made it more competitive to other schools in the Cleveland area. Parishioners, expecting Monsignor Baznik to remain with the parish for the rest of his life, were shocked to learn that he was reassigned to St. Patrick's in Geauga County, and thus a new pastor was named in 1969. Fr. Praznik was named pastor of St. Vitus and worked hard to maintain the school, but after a short six years, he suffered many severe heart attacks and a new pastor was named. Fr. Pevec (later Bishop Pevec) was installed in May 1975 and was, like Monsignor Baznik, expected to stay his entire life as pastor. However, he left in 1979 to become rector of Borromeo College of Ohio. Even though Fr. Pevec stayed a short time at St. Vitus, he worked to bring St. Vitus School's enrollment to the highest numbers ever. Succeeding him in 1979 was Fr. Jožef Božnar. He prepared well for the fiftieth anniversary of the Church building in 1982, as well as the 75th anniversary of the Church building in 2007. In February 1993, the interior of the church went through a six-month renovation, during which time world-acclaimed Slovenian painters traveled to St. Vitus to work on the interior. It was finished for the centennial celebration of the parish later that year. St. Vitus remains a strong parish, but Fr. Božnar works with Bishop Lennon's programs to cluster parishes in order to increase strength for inner-city parishes. Architecture The church building of St. Vitus itself is constructed in the Lombard-Roman style with pale yellow Falston brick. It is 141 feet long and 100 feet wide with an attached parish house on its west side. Its two Romanesque bell towers reach 110 feet into the sky. The Holtkamp organ, which is still in service, remains in the rear and largest of the three choir lofts. The church is located on Lausche Avenue (previously Glass Avenue), renamed in honor of former parishioner, Mayor of Cleveland and Governor of Ohio, Frank Lausche. Pastors Monsignor Hribar 1893-1907 Monsignor Ponikvar 1907-1952 Monsignor Baznik 1952-1969 Fr. Praznik 1969-1975 Fr. Pevec 1975-1979 Fr. Božnar 1979–present References External links Official Website St. Vitus Church Records - Immigration History Research Center "Bishop's House Besieged: 5,000 Angry Polish Parishioners Demand Return of Former Priest," The New York Times The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History Roman Catholic churches in Cleveland Vitus Slovene-American culture in