World’s largest cathedral plans rededication in NY

Posted by Kendall Harmon

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in Upper Manhattan will be open from end to end for the first time since its restoration following a devastating fire that damaged ancient tapestries and a 8,500-pipe organ.

A celebratory rededication is planned for Sunday at the Gothic Episcopal church, called the largest cathedral in the world.

The entire length of the 601-foot-long building will be open. A temporary wall had halved the cathedral, concealing the scaffolding set up for the restoration work. The fire originated in the gift shop on Dec. 18, 2001.

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Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Parishes

6 Comments
Posted November 29, 2008 at 2:48 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Irenaeus wrote:

Rededicated to Whom? Or to What?

November 29, 4:23 pm | [comment link]
2. Intercessor wrote:

Inappropriate comment delete by elf.

November 29, 5:23 pm | [comment link]
3. robroy wrote:

I remember how Bp Wantland talked about the gazillions the TEO has. These guys can burn through a lot of money pretty quickly.

November 29, 5:24 pm | [comment link]
4. Mark Johnson wrote:

This Cathedral is so beautiful, it’s wonderful to have it fully restored, and the organ there is marvelous.  I wish I could be there for it.

November 29, 5:42 pm | [comment link]
5. New Reformation Advocate wrote:

While the external side of the cathedral may have been restored, i.e., its glorious physical plant, who will restore its soul??

Somehow, I’m reminded of the Jewish feast of Hannukah, which will be here soon, and its commemoration of the Jewish rededication of the Second Temple in 164 BC, after it had been utterly defiled by the brutal pagan tyrant from Syria, Antiochus IV “Epiphanes.”  The Hellenistic despot had attempted to force syncretism on the Jewish population, just as successive deans of St. John the Divine have done in their own less obvious way, by promoting theological and moral relativism in every way imaginable, apart from brute force.

But the Temple in Jerusalem was only rededicated after all the vestiges of its pagan occupants had been cleared out and the place ritually purified.  So who will do that in New York?  Who will conduct the necessary rite of exorcism, to banish the evil spirits that have been invited into that formerly holy space?

Too bad that the great cathedral’s great former literary artist in residence, Madeline L’Engle, has gone to be with the Lord and didn’t live to see the restoration of the splendid facility.

David Handy+

November 30, 8:34 am | [comment link]
6. old grumpy wrote:

“A celebratory rededication is planned for Sunday at the Gothic Episcopal church, called the largest cathedral in the world.”

harrumph ! Largest in the world indeed -  it’s not even the largest ANGLICAN cathedral. Check out Liverpool UK.
muttermuttermutter…....

Chris B

December 1, 10:03 am | [comment link]
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