wfn.org | Episcopalians: Life returning to St. John the Divine in New York City

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

February 7, 2002

2002-035

Episcopalians: Life returning to St. John the Divine in New
York City

by Herb Katz

(ENS) To the casual observer, activities at the Cathedral of St.
John the Divine in New York City appear to be remarkably normal
just weeks after the December 18 fire in the north transept that
destroyed the gift shop and, for a time, threatened the great
sacred space of the sanctuary itself.

Now regular worship services are held, large numbers of
tourists have returned, and special events have resumed. Of
course the congregation notices the absence of the soaring
sounds of the Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ. It will remain silent
for an indefinite period. Although it was not damaged, its pipe
chambers must be thoroughly cleaned to prevent damage from the
accumulation of soot from the fire. In the meantime, a
sophisticated three-manual digital organ and speakers have been
installed in the north and south galleries above the Great Choir
to provide music.

Some questions remain. The financial implications of the fire
are still being sorted out. Fire adjusters are currently working
with cathedral officials to assess the damages. There was an
outpouring of gifts following the fire but, regardless of the
insurance settlement, the cathedral is experiencing a cash flow
problem with the loss of the gift shop and the vertical tours
that allowed visitors to climb 12 flights of stairs to the top
of the cathedral. A temporary gift shop will probably open this
spring.

As pointed out in a New York Times article, while the north
transept is cleared all the interior spaces of the huge
cathedral must be scrubbed because they are covered with a
coating of soot. Usually firefighters would have smashed the
windows to ventilate the building but, in this case, they
preserved the stained glass but also trapped the smoke and soot
inside.

The fate of two priceless 17th century tapestries is not
known yet. They are currently in the cathedral textile
conservation laboratory undergoing extensive examination to
determine what can be done. The tapestries hung on the wall that
separates the main sanctuary from the transept so they were
exposed to the flames of the fire. Four other tapestries were
not damaged but must also be cleaned.

------

--Herb Katz is director of communications at the Cathedral of
St. John the Divine.