The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine is the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It famously serves all faiths and all peoples in one of the world’s largest Christian churches. The giant cathedral is not just a spiritual home, it’s a home for great music. The acoustics are amazing, as if angels are singing along.
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Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine Events
OCTOBER
Blessing of the Animals
The Saint Francis of Assisi Mass at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights, Manhattan; is on Sunday, October 6, 2024, from 10:30am – 12:15pm. People and pets are welcome. The Saint Francis Day Fair and Blessing of the Animals is from 11:30am – 2pm. It will be livestreamed on the Cathedral’s website. FREE. stjohndivine.org
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine Tickets
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
1047 Amsterdam Ave
(at 112th St)
Morningside Heights, Manhattan
About Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine has been under construction since 1892. It remains unfinished. The building is physically imposing. It is so big. When you enter, it feels like a sacred grotto, just New York size. A “cathedral” is a church that is also the seat of a bishop.
This is great hall for spiritual music. Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin and many other legendary artists have performed here. Many famous New Yorkers have been memorialized here including modern dance legend Alvin Ailey (1989) and jazz legend Duke Ellington (1974).
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a service in 1956. The Dalai Lama first visited in 1979. Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke in 1986. Nelson Mandela spoke in 1997.
The Episcopal Church formed out of the Colonial Church of England in the American colonies after the American Revolution. The Episcopal embrace of all faiths and all peoples is a spectacular transformation because the Church of England represented England against the entire world. Thank you!
Social Media
Facebook @StJohnDivineNYC
Instagram @StJohnDivineNYC
Latin Artists and Events
The St. Francis Day Blessing of the Animals on the first Sunday in October is one of the cathedral’s most popular events.
The New York Philharmonic Free Memorial Day Concert is a popular classical music concert.
Paul Winter is an artist in residence. He is a jazz, world music, and earth music legend. His winter solstice and summer solstice celebrations are wonderful times to visit the Cathedral.
French artist in residence Philippe Petit, who famously walked a high wire between the Twin Towers, walked between the Cathedral’s two towers in 1982.
Recent Latin Programming
JUNE
Summer Solstice Celebration
The 29th Paul Winter Summer Solstice Celebration 2024 is a memorable sunrise jazz concert titled “Adventures in the Universe,” inspired by Charles Ive’s “Universe Symphony;” at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights, Manhattan; on Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 4:30am. You get to watch the giant rose window light up with the dawn. From $45.
JUNE
African American Conference
Renaissance Reborn: Reimagining the Past is a Black Arts conference celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance and the 25th Anniversary of the Classical Theatre of Harlem with an esteemed panel and a special performance by Grammy nominee Mykal Kilgore (Motown The Musical); at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights, Manhattan; on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 7pm. Free with rsvp at stjohndivine.org 🇺🇸