Saturday, May 20, 2017, Washington Cathedral Trip (full size gallery)
12 people and friends from St. Peter’s journeyed on Sat. May 20, 2017 for a tour of the Washington National Cathedral. We also met up with St. Asaph’s of Bowling Green. Thanks to Elizabeth Heimbach for organizing the trip
The cathedral is composed of the main nave with altar and steps leading to the organ and high altar and is the 6th largest cathedral in the world. The distinctive rose window (with 10,000 pieces of glass) is at the front. There are many chapels scattered throughout the cathedral. Art abounds all throughout the cathedral, including the gargoyles along the top. There are 112 gargoyles (rain-diversion devices with a spout) and over 1,000 other grotesques (without a spout). Here are additional examples. Outside are gardens, including the Bishop’s garden.
The first “Cathedral Committees” were formed in 1899 to help secure the land atop Mount St. Alban for the new Cathedral, eight years before the laying of the Cathedral’s foundation stone. President Theodore Roosevelt presided over the laying of the Washington National Cathedral’s foundation stone on September 29, 1907. Construction finished 83 years later, to the day.
"Washington National Cathedral is dedicated to serve as a house of prayer for all people and a spiritual home for the nation. We strive to fulfill our mission in four main areas:
– as a national church, dedicated to serving the country and its many faith traditions;
– as a national treasure, dedicated to serving visitors and pilgrims;
– as the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, dedicated to serving the diocese, the three schools on the Cathedral Close, and its worshiping community;
– as a convener, dedicated to create programming to bring people together in conversation and partnership."