The Cathedral Of St. John The Divine In Harlem Pay Tribute To COVID-19 Victims

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in partnership with Mourning Into Unity, and in solidarity with initiatives taking place across the country,

will host prayer vigils in solemn recognition of their collective grief and affirmation of their shared commitment to one another.

This will take place on Monday, October 12, and Monday, October 19, 2020, at 5:30 PM at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, at 112th Street, Harlem, NY, and online at stjohndivine.org.

Over the past six months, the increasing toll of COVID-19 has devastated communities across the country. The death toll, now past 210,000 lives lost…

Over the past six months, the increasing toll of COVID-19 has devastated communities across the country. The death toll, now past 210,000 lives lost; the emotional and psychological toll, wreaked upon caregivers and survivors; the economic toll, disproportionately affecting small and local businesses; the social toll, with national unity fractured along political divides: each would be a burden to the strongest individual, and taken together they have broken our hearts and come close to breaking our spirits.

But our spirits have endured. United by sorrow, people are joining together to mourn and to work towards a new vision of national solidarity. On October 12, 2020, join them for a virtual vigil, led by The Reverend Canon Patrick Malloy, Sub-Dean of the Cathedral, mourning all whom we have lost. Drawing upon the teachings of multiple faith traditions, participants will be invited to share their individual sorrows and take comfort in renewed communal bonds.

The following Monday, October 19, 2020, they invite you to join the Cathedral and interfaith community for a prayer vigil and candlelight procession beginning on the steps of the Cathedral. Building upon the liturgy of the Cathedral’s Episcopal heritage, this gathering will pay tribute to all of the lives affected by COVID-19 and gather together our extended community. During the event, social distancing guidelines will be followed to keep participants safe.

When we see our shared humanity, we strengthen our commitment to each other and to our democracy. As a house of worship and cultural institution, the Cathedral has long fought for the full recognition of each individual’s human rights and shared dignity. Today, as the coronavirus pandemic and political tensions continue to wreak havoc throughout our neighborhoods, we mourn with the broken and the lost, and pledge to uphold the community ties and mutual respect that underpin American democracy.

For more information on both events and to RSVP, visit stjohndivine.org

On October 12th and 19th, 2020, more than 20 houses of worship will gather to mourn and unite through a peaceful, candlelight vigil.

Mourning Into Unity is a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the unvoiced grief so many of us feel. On October 12th and 19th, 2020, more than 20 houses of worship will gather to mourn and unite through a peaceful, candlelight vigil. The pandemic has laid bare cruel fissures in our society. So much loss is being endured: loss of life, loss of jobs, loss of health insurance, loss of safe schools. When we grieve as one, we reject efforts to use the ravages of this disease and its cruel and disproportionate impacts on the most vulnerable to divide us. For information on planned events and ways to be involved, visit letsreimagine.org/unity.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is chartered as a house of prayer for all people and a unifying center of intellectual light and leadership.

People from many faiths and communities worship together in services held more than 30 times a week; the soup kitchen serves roughly 25,000 meals annually; social service outreach has an increasingly varied roster of programs…

People from many faiths and communities worship together in services held more than 30 times a week; the soup kitchen serves roughly 25,000 meals annually; social service outreach has an increasingly varied roster of programs; the distinguished Cathedral School prepares young students to be future leaders; Advancing the Community of Tomorrow (ACT), the renowned preschool, afterschool and summer program, offers diverse educational and nurturing experiences; the outstanding Textile Conservation Lab preserves world treasures; concerts, exhibitions, performances, and civic gatherings allow conversation, celebration, reflection, and remembrance—such is the joyfully busy life of this beloved and venerated Cathedral.