News & Media

At the culmination of the inaugural Understory festival, Washington National Cathedral and Comment magazine will co-host a public evening of music, testimony, and conversation on Friday, May 29, 2026. Doors open at 6:45 pm; the program begins at 7:30 pm. 

WASHINGTON—Washington National Cathedral is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Jared Johnson as Director of Music and Canon-Elect. Dr. Johnson, currently serving as Canon Director of Music at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, will assume his new role in summer 2026, bringing his extensive expertise in choral leadership, organ performance, and sacred music education. 

WASHINGTON, DC — Washington National Cathedral will welcome the Buddhist monks as part of the final days of their 2,300-mile Walk for Peace, a journey rooted in prayer, reflection, and nonviolence. This sacred stop will include an interfaith welcome at the West Front of the Cathedral followed by moments of reflection and prayer, inviting the public to gather in a shared expression of peace, gratitude, and hope. 

What happened a week ago in Minnesota and is happening in communities across the country runs counter to God’s vision of justice and peace. This crisis is about more than one city or state—it’s about who we are as a nation. The question before us is simple and urgent: Whose dignity matters?

The recent events in Minnesota — including the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents — have reverberated deeply across the nation and within our communities, shaking us to our core. This moment calls us to speak from the heart of our moral and spiritual values, reaffirming the sanctity of life and our shared commitment to justice and compassion.

WASHINGTON – Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro join for a rare and timely conversation on the state of our politics today, the rising threat of political violence, and what it means for the future of American democracy.

We join with all who are praying  for the two National Guardsmen who were shot in Washington, DC, and for their loved ones. This event reminds us of the great risks that our military men and women take on our behalf, and the heavy burden of fear and worry that military families carry every day. For this to have happened at Thanksgiving is especially devastating.

WASHINGTON – Washington National Cathedral will host the funeral service for former Vice President Richard B. Cheney on November 20, 2025, at 11:00 am.

WASHINGTON – Washington National Cathedral will host the funeral service for world-renowned ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, on November 12, 2025, at 11:00 am. Dr. Goodall’s life and work made an indelible mark on our understanding of humankind and the environments we all share.

World-renowned vocal ensembles will take center stage at Washington National Cathedral for the 2025-26 Concert Season, which also features soaring orchestral arrangements, beloved holiday favorites and rotating organ recitals.