Blog

5:30 pm, Monday, March 16, 2020

• Beginning Tuesday, March 17, the Cathedral will be closed to the public until further notice.
• All worship services, including Sunday services, have been suspended. More information will be released soon about any video services.
• More decisions on upcoming programs and services, including how the Cathedral will observe Holy Week and Easter, are currently being determined. An update will follow shortly.
• Following the guidance of the New York City public schools, ACT Programs will be closed beginning Tuesday, March 17.
• CCC will offer a bagged lunch during modified Sunday Soup Kitchen hours. The CCC Clothing Closet will be closed starting Tuesday, March 17.

Please read a message from the Dean regarding this closure.

8 pm, Sunday, March 15, 2020

Following the guidance of the New York City public schools, ACT Programs will be closed beginning Tuesday, March 17.

5 pm, Friday, March 13, 2020

The spread of COVID-19 continues, and with it the accelerated pace of our responses and updates to day-to-day programs, events, and services. Please read on for important information on changes to the Cathedral’s worship and public program schedule.

• All public tours and children’s workshops have been cancelled from Saturday, March 14 until Monday, April 13. Decisions on previously-scheduled ticketed performances are currently being made. Please visit the Cathedral’s website for details on specific events and concerts.

• All worship services on Sunday, March 15 have been cancelled. Instead, a special service will be recorded and livestreamed on the Cathedral’s website beginning at 11 am. This service is intended for broadcast only and is not open to the public. The Cathedral will remain closed during the morning and will open to the public at 12:30 pm. At that time, all who would like to visit the Cathedral for meditation, reflection or private prayer are welcome to enter.

• Starting on March 15, the Cathedral Community Cares Soup Kitchen will begin offering bag lunches to clients. These will be distributed from the Undercroft of the Cathedral.

• Beginning Monday, March 16, daily services will be suspended until further notice.

The Dean will determine logistics related to other upcoming Sunday services early next week. Thank you for your continued understanding, flexibility, and calm as we navigate this difficult situation. We will update you if and when other changes to public access and previously-scheduled events are needed.

6:15 pm, Thursday, March 12, 2020

Over that past 125 years, in normal times and in times of uncertainty, the Cathedral has always been here. Now, as we move through COVID-19, is no different. Our doors are open for anyone looking for a quiet place to reflect, meditate or pray and our priests are available for one-on-one meetings for pastoral care. Our mission is to be a house of prayer for all people.

The health and well-being of our valued community—congregants, visitors, students, clergy and staff—is and will always remain our top priority. We will continue to adapt as necessary and continue to monitor advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, Episcopal Diocese of New York and the New York City Departments of Health and Cultural Affairs. Circumstances have been changing rapidly, and we’re aware any communication might be out of date soon after it has been sent.

That being said, at this moment, we plan to be open on Sunday, March 15th for our scheduled services at 8 am, 9 am, 11 am, and 4 pm. The choir will join the 11 am service and the 4 pm Evensong service. We’re also in conversations about livestreaming this Sunday’s 11 am service and Sunday services moving forward.

In addition to the increased cleanings and adjusted liturgical protocols that were in place last week, we will also place chairs further away from each other than normal to provide space between worshippers, and we must for now stop our weekly coffee hour.

Please know that no matter what happens between now and Sunday, the Dean and clergy will be in the Cathedral on Sunday morning and we invite you all to join in spirit no matter your location. We are grateful for the loyalty of our community and thank you for your understanding as we work together to best serve each other during this challenging time.

Friday, March 8, 2020

The Cathedral is closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects in New York City. There is currently no change to public access or services. Select events may be canceled or postponed out of an abundance of caution. Please visit the calendar for the most up to date listings. We will reassess this as appropriate in consultation with city, state, and federal officials. We are a house of prayer of all people and continue to welcome any who wish to visit.

Our facilities team has been paying extra attention to handrails, doorknobs, faucets, and other surfaces touched frequently in addition to their routine cleaning protocols. All staff have been reminded of proper handwashing techniques and we encourage visitors to wash their hands frequently before, during, and after their visit. Hand sanitizer has been placed throughout the Cathedral. Adjustments to liturgies are posted here.

For up to date information on prevention and symptoms, please visit the websites for the New York City Department of Health, the New York State Department of Health, and the Center for Disease Control.