Features Overview

Choral Evensong
Wednesday, July 10 at 5:00 pm
Christ Church, Alexandria

Located in Alexandria, Virginia, Christ Church opened its doors in 1773 to serve the Church of England's Fairfax Parish. George Washington helped fund the construction of the church, and his personal bible was presented to the parishioners of Christ Church in 1804, by George Washington Parke Custis. Outgrowing more modest spaces, in November 1766, the Vestry of Fairfax Parish ordered a levy of 31,185 pounds of tobacco upon it parishioners in support of new structures at present day Falls Church, Virginia and in Alexandria. The vestrymen awarded James Parson the contract to oversee the construction of the Alexandria church, designed by James Wren, a descendent of Sir Christopher Wren of the famed St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Choral Evensong
Thursday, July 11 at 5:00 pm
St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square

Established in 1815, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square was designed by noted architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe to serve Episcopalians in a growing residential community in Washington’s western end. Latrobe, one of the architects of the U.S. Capitol building, fashioned the church in the form of a simple Greek cross. The cornerstone was set on September 14, 1815; St. John’s first service was held on October 27, 1816; and the church was consecrated on December 27 of that year. A portico and bell tower, containing a bell cast by Paul Revere’s son, were added by 1822. Known as the “Church of the Presidents,” St. John’s has welcomed every president to worship in its sanctuary beginning with James Madison. Several have been regular communicants, earning St. John’s its status as a National Historic Landmark. In June 2020, St. John’s stood at the epicenter of a historic moment when spontaneous demonstrations against police brutality captured the attention of our nation and world. Throughout that time St. John’s was known to be a place that offered grace and the healing love of God, and today the church continues to strive for the dream of racial reconciliation, justice, and equity for all people.

Choral Evensong
Friday, July 12 at 5:00 pm
Old St. Paul’s, Baltimore

Renowned architect Richard Upjohn designed the church, blending 12th-century Italian and Romanesque elements. Italian sculptor Antonio Capellano contributed two bas-reliefs of Christ and Moses to the facade, originally part of the previous Robert Cary Long church. Other features from the 1817 structure include Federal period walls, a stained glass window of the risen Christ, a marble baptismal font by Maximilian Godefroy, and the Bishop’s chair from 1815.

Initially presenting a dark Victorian appearance, the church underwent renovations in 1903 to adopt a brighter aesthetic. The chancel saw significant changes, with the original reredos moved and replaced by a new Tiffany design. Tiffany Studios and Clayton & Bell Studios contributed to the installation of new windows, with additional renovations in the 1930s and 1990s. A historic restoration in 2013 included painting the nave and adding a blue ceiling with gold stars, preserving the church’s rich heritage.

Choral Eucharist
Sunday, July 14 at 11:00 pm
Immanuel Chapel, Virginia Theological Seminary

Founded in 1823, Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest of the accredited seminaries of the Episcopal Church. The new LEED Gold Immanuel Chapel will replace the historic Immanuel Chapel, which served the Seminary from its consecration in 1881 until it was destroyed in a fire in October 2010. The new chapel will stand in peaceful conversation with the remains of the Immanuel Chapel that will continue to provide a quiet and timeless place for contemplation. The new chapel, designed to complement the Seminary's collection of historic buildings, will reflect the restrained Virginia traditions of the campus's earliest buildings.