The Cathedral Church Of Saint John The Divine Announces Lineup Of Dynamic Spring And Summer Programming

The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Harlem is gearing up for an exciting spring and summer season with the return of popular programs.

As well as the introduction of new experiences and events – perfect for families, New Yorkers, visitors, and everyone in between to enjoy during the warmer months.  

“In addition to our daily and Sunday services, the Cathedral is proud to offer a wide variety of programming year-round as part of our mission to serve the many diverse people of our diocese, city, nation and globe. We are also honored to continue to partner with New York City’s iconic arts and cultural institutions to offer meaningful and accessible programming and live entertainment to our visitors. This spring and summer, we are excited to welcome everyone to experience the return of our Pride series, free performances, celebrations and more – all under the architectural beauty of the world’s largest Gothic Cathedral,” said Laura Bosley, Executive Director, Cathedral Programming.

Highlights of special events and programming from May to August include:

• Final Months to See Divine Pathways (Until June 30) – Don’t miss the chance to see the vibrant and entrancing textile installation Divine Pathways, on display in the vaulted Nave of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine only until the end of June. The installation was created by artist Anne Patterson together with communities and organizations from across the Morningside Heights neighborhood, New York City, and the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Each 75-foot ribbon that makes up the piece contains a handwritten hope, dream, or prayer from a community member, all coming together to create an intimate and immense experience.

• New York Philharmonic FREE Memorial Day Concert (Monday, May 27) – In honor of those who have fallen, the New York Philharmonic will perform their 31st annual Memorial Day Concert, presented as a gift to the people of New York City and a day of musical remembrance. Conducted by Music Director Jaap van Zweden, the program includes Wagner’s Prelude to Act I of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Copland’s Quiet City and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4. The concert is from 7pm to 8pm.Admission is free. Tickets are required and will be distributed at The Cathedral beginning at 5pm the evening of the concert; doors will open at 6pm. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Iconic Pride Returns for June 2024 (Friday, May 31 & June) – The Cathedral will once again celebrate Pride Month and show their support for the LGBTQIA+ community with a diverse range of events and activities throughout June. This year’s theme is Pathways of Pride inspired by Anne Patterson’s Divine Pathways installation. Festivities begin with a Pride Eve kick off on May 31 at 7pm, featuring crafts, cocktail hour, a special performance by the artist Greedy Peasant, and the turning on of the Pride Lights inside the Cathedral. The complete Pride line up can be found here, with more details to be announced soon.

• The Public Theater Mobile Unit’s The Comedy of Errors FREE Performance (Sunday, June 16 & June 30) – The Mobile Unit is bringing back its bilingual musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors and for the first time ever, the company will be making two stops at The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. The FREE outdoor performance, performed in English and Spanish, will take place on June 16 and June 30 at 6:30pm on the Pulpit Green. Chair seating will be available but is determined on a first-come, first-served basis and is not guaranteed.

• Diocesan Celebration of Women’s Ordinations (Sunday, June 16 & Monday, July 29) – Join the Cathedral in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ordinations of the Philadelphia Eleven – the first women in the Episcopal Church to become ordained priests on July 29, 1974, two years before General Convention affirmed and explicitly authorized the ordination of women to the priesthood. On June 16 from 4pm to 5pm, all are welcome to participate in a special Choral Evensong featuring the voices of the Cathedral Choir.On July 29 at 12:15pm, the Cathedral will also host a Holy Eucharist service to commemorate these pioneering women of the Episcopal Church.

• Paul Winter’s 29th Annual Summer Solstice Celebration (Saturday, June 22) – From 4:30am to 6am,join Artist in Residence Paul Winter and the Paul Winter Consort as they welcome the longest day of the year with an ambient musical performance and listening journey. Coinciding with the sunrise, the music will begin in total darkness and proceed in a continuous flow, echoing within the awesome acoustical space of the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. Gradually, the light of the first dawning of summer joins the sound as the great stained-glass windows begin to illuminate. Tickets for the event start at $45 and can be purchased here.

• Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra Concert (Thursday, August 1) – In association with Lincoln Center, the Cathedral will host the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra for their summer tour at the great cathedrals and concert halls of Europe and the United States. The orchestra was formed in 2022 as a direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a bold initiative to defend the country’s cultural legacy. The ensemble will bring together leading musicians based in Ukraine, alongside musicians forced into exile by the war and Ukrainian members of European orchestras. This summer’s program will feature Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, in honor of the composition’s 200th anniversary, in a unique Ukrainian language version to re-assert the values of freedom, resistance and progress against the forces of oppression. The concert begins at 7pm. Ticket details will be announced.

The Cathedral

As the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world founded in 1892, the trustees of the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine conceived its mission to be a house of prayer for all people, an instrument of church unity, and a center of intellectual light and leading in the spirit of Jesus Christ.

Today, as the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York and the seat of its bishop, the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine serves the many diverse people of our diocese, city, nation and world through the worship of God; pastoral, educational and community outreach activities; cultural and civic events; international ecumenical initiatives; and the preservation of the great architectural and historic site that is its legacy.

For more information, visit www.stjohndivine.org and @StJohnDivineNYC.