WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 2, 2009) — Most visitors don’t expect to learn about military history in a cathedral, but a new tour is giving them the chance to do so.
The recently formed Service and Sacrifice Tour at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., highlights iconography, art, and historical connections in the cathedral that relate to the nation’s military.
“It’s a great learning experience for anyone,” said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Carleton Birch, Office of the Chief of Chaplains. “The tour is representative of all faiths and in that way parallels Army Chaplains who represent their own faith group while providing for the free exercise of everyone’s faith.”
Linda Strating, a cathedral docent, started the tour after discovering the connections.
“When I first got here and learned about the cathedral, I realized everywhere you look there was something about our nation’s military woven into the cathedral’s history and art,” said Strating. “I thought that was remarkable and we should do something to share it.”
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