Cathedral to Host Memorial Service for 20th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks
WASHINGTON – On Sunday, September 12 at 11 a.m. ET, Washington National Cathedral will hold a memorial service for the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. At the service, the Cathedral will toll its funeral bell to pay tribute to first responders who died in the attacks, and the images of the 343 FDNY firefighters killed at the World Trade Center will be displayed on the West Lawn of the Cathedral grounds. An American flag will also be hung between two D.C. fire engines parked in front of the Cathedral.
The service will include representatives from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, local fire departments, and area chaplains, who will participate in a wreath laying, pipe and drum music, and special prayers. The service will be open to the public, and there will be a high-definition live-stream at the Cathedral’s YouTube page, which media are free to use with credit to Washington National Cathedral.
“Twenty years ago this weekend, tragedy struck not just the nation but we Washingtonians who bore witness to the attack on the Pentagon and the thwarted attempt on the United States Capitol,” said The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral. “In the two decades since, we’ve learned many lessons—about hope, perseverance, healing and loss—but none so profound and searing as the courage and heroism of those first responders who rushed to aid in the aftermath of the attacks. Today, we mourn them, grieve their loss, and reflect on their sacrifice, even as we give thanks for the countless lives they saved.”
Media are welcome to film the service at the Cathedral; if you are interested, please send an RSVP to [email protected] no later than close of business on Friday, September 10. Masks are required inside the building.
MEDIA CONTACT
Tony Franquiz, 202-374-5393
[email protected]
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About Washington National Cathedral
Grounded in the reconciling love of Jesus Christ, Washington National Cathedral is a house of prayer for all people, conceived by our founders to serve as a great church for national purposes.