In observance of the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls, the Cathedral of St. John Divine in Harlem opens its doors to the NYC community to grieve their beloved dead and celebrate the beauty of life.
The event takes place on Tuesday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 2 2022, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street) in Harlem, NY.
On Tuesday, November 1, the Cathedral will offer a 7 pm Holy Eucharist service in observance of All Saints Day. On November 2, the Cathedral will observe All Souls Day with a 7 pm Evensong service, which will include Fauré’s Requiem, sung by the renowned Cathedral Choir under the baton of Kent Tritle, Director, Cathedral Music.
The Right Reverend Mary Glasspool, Bishop Assistant of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, will preach, and the names of departed loved ones will be read aloud in mourning and commemoration.
While somber, these services will also offer joyous opportunities to gather, enlivened by color and art. The Cathedral’s services will incorporate altars, or ofrendas, for el Día de Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead. Created by artist Sebastián Gamez, the altars will contain photos and mementos of those who have died and symbols of the beauty and fragility of human life.
All are welcome to bring physical mementos to place on the ofrendas, or to email the names of their departed family and friends to allsouls@stjohndivine.org for inclusion in the service.
This year’s All Souls observance is particularly poignant as the nation prepares to enter another pandemic winter. The Cathedral’s Día de Muertos ofrendas are dedicated to all those who have died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a disproportionate number of whom have been Americans of color. The ofrendas will remain on view in the Cathedral through November, serving as a tribute to the community’s beloved dead.
Tokens of remembrance for inclusion in the services may be left on the Cathedral’s ofrendas on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, 2022. For more information on the Cathedral’s All Saints and All Souls services, visit stjohndivine.org.
The Cathedral
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.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cathedral has responded to changing needs in the local community and across the city and state. People from many faiths and communities worship together in daily services held online and in person; the soup kitchen serves roughly 50,000 meals annually; social service outreach has an increasingly varied roster of programs to safely provide resources and aid to the hardest-hit New Yorkers; the distinguished Cathedral School prepares young students to be future leaders; Advancing the Community of Tomorrow, 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.
Become a Harlem Insider!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
