The crane accident Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral has forced several Sept. 11 anniversary events -- including one President Barack Obama will attend -- to be moved to the Kennedy Center and other locations in the D.C. area.
The Kennedy Center will now host "A Concert to Honor" featuring Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, the Marine Chamber Orchestra, and United States Navy Band Sea Chanters on Friday and "A Concert for Hope" on Sunday, which includes remarks from President Barack Obama and performances by renowned mezzo soprano Denyce Graves, country star Alan Jackson, and R&B legend Patti LaBelle.
Saturday's community day concert will be rescheduled for a later date.
Sunday morning's Interfaith Vigil will take place at the Washington Hebrew Congregation, which will also host Sunday's commemorative Eucharist service along with the forum featuring Karen Armstrong.
All confirmed tickets for the Friday and Sunday night concerts will be honored in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
"We are grateful that there were no serious injuries in the crane accident, and while we are disappointed that we will not be able to host our 'Call to Compassion' commemoration in the Cathedral itself, we are determined to live out our mission to serve as the spiritual home for the nation as we remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001," said Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III in a release. "The safety of our visitors and the staff of the Cathedral is our top priority, and we will make no compromises when it comes to that responsibility. At the same time we will not let obstacles put in our way stop us from fulfilling our mission as the spiritual home for the nation."
EVENT RUNDOWN:
Friday, September 9, 2011
-- NEW LOCATION: KENNEDY CENTER CONCERT HALL -- "A Concert to Honor"
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Featuring Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and a performance of the Brahms Requiem to honor the victims of 9/11 and survivors, their families, and emergency response personnel, as well as the nearly 6,000 fallen military service members whose lives have since been lost in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What: Address by military leaders and the Brahms Requiem performed by the Marine Chamber Orchestra and the United States Navy Band Sea Chanters with the Cathedral Choir
Where: KENNEDY CENTER CONCERT HALL
When: 7:30–9:30 pm
Saturday, September 10, 2011
-- POSTPONED -- "A Concert to Heal" and Community Gathering Day
The Cathedral invites families to attend a free public concert featuring local artists and music encouraging interfaith understanding across cultures and generations to experience healing from loss and division. On this day, we recall the unity Americans felt in the face of the attacks on 9/11, and the common values that helped us become stronger as one nation and one people.
What: Performances by Sweet Honey in the Rock, Ocho de Bastos and other local artists
When: POSTPONED
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Interfaith Prayer Vigil
What: A vigil where participants of diverse faiths will pray together and mark the moments when airplanes struck the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, hit the Pentagon, and crashed in Pennsylvania with the tolling of the largest bell in the Cathedral tower.
Where: WASHINGTON HEBREW CONGREGATION
When: 8:30–10 am
Who: Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III; Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane; Rabbi Bruce Lustig, Washington Hebrew Congregation; Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche of Tibet, Buddhist nun and incarnate lama; Dr. D.C. Rao, a Hindu priest serving on the Board of Directors of the Inter Faith Conference; Imam Mohamed Magid, president of the Islamic Society of North America; and musician Humayun Khan
Forum on Compassion
What: Guided conversation on what people of faith share in common
Where: WASHIGTON HEBREW CONGREATION
When: 10:15–11 am
Who: Author Karen Armstrong, Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III
Commemorative Holy Eucharist
What: A commemorative celebration of Holy Eucharist
Where: WASHINGTON HEBREW CONGREGATION
When: 11:15 am–12:30 pm
Who: Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane, presider; Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III, preacher; the Rev. Dr. Kathy J. Nelson, president, F.I.S.H. Foundation, Inc.
"A Concert for Hope"
What: A program of poetry, reading, reflections, and classical and popular music
Where: KENNEDY CENTER CONCERT HALL
When: 7:30–9 pm
Who: Speakers including President Barack Obama and performing artists, including Alan Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Denyce Graves and the Marine Chamber Orchestra
