From January through March 2025, visitors are invited to the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world this winter season to experience a wide range of inspiring musical performances, special religious services, thought-provoking discussions, and more.
The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine is welcoming 2025 with a vibrant lineup of cultural and spiritual offerings for New Yorkers and visitors alike to experience. From January through March, the Cathedral will host a range of events including captivating musical performances, special religious services, and so much more, providing unique opportunities for reflection, connection, and celebration as we enter the New Year.
“We are thrilled to welcome 2025 with such a wide range of unique experiences that offer something for everyone. Whether it’s through the transformative power of music, thought-provoking conversations, or profound spiritual services, we strive to create a space where people can come together to learn, reflect, and celebrate. We are so excited for the months ahead and to share these moments with our community, as well as visitors from near and far,” said Laura Bosley, Executive Director, Cathedral Programming.
Highlights of special events and programming from January to March 2025 include:
- Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition (through Friday, January 31) – As part of a global tour, Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition is on display at the Cathedral through Friday, January 31. This immersive experience offers a 3D journey through over 850 years of history, showcasing the iconic cathedral’s resilience, including its miraculous survival of the 2019 fire and ongoing restoration. Guided by interactive HistoPad™ tablets and stunning 3D models, visitors can explore Notre-Dame’s story in breathtaking detail. Don’t miss this last chance to experience this cutting-edge exhibit before it closes.
- Bach: From Darkness to Light (Friday, January 17) – Nathalie Stutzmann, music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and principal guest conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra, will lead Members of the New York Philharmonic in a powerful performance, featuring a selection of Johann Sebastian Bach’s most acclaimed and moving work. The FREE concert will take place at the Cathedral from 7:30 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. with no intermission. Additional tickets for this event will be available online on Wednesday, January 15th.
- Ecumenical Celebration of Evensong (Sunday, January 19) – An evening of prayer, song, and reflection, the Ecumenical Celebration of Evensong brings together Christian communities to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the creation of the Nicene Creed. This special service aims to foster unity and highlight the diversity of Christian traditions through sacred music and liturgy. This 4pm sung in-person service is free and open to all and will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
- The Dialogues on Divinity Interfaith Series (Sunday, January 26, Monday, March 24, & Monday, May 12) – Presented by the Community at the Crossing and co-sponsored by the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute, The Dialogues of Divinity series brings religious leaders from different faith backgrounds together to address vital contemporary issues through a theological lens. Featuring the return of Dr. Amy-Jill Levine and Rabbi Dr. Burton Visotzky, along with other guests: the Rev. Scott Gunn; Sr. Ruth Lautt, O.P., Esq; Sr. Estelle M. Sogbou, C.C.N.; Dr. Aaron Hollander; Emre Celik; and the Rev. Canon Eva Suarez, the series will kick off on Sunday, January 26 at 12:30 p.m. with a discussion led by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine centering around Jewish-Christian relations for a conversation on How the Good News Goes Bad: Christian Biblical Interpretation and Antisemitism. Additional discussions will be led by Sr. Estelle Sogbou and Dr. Aaron Hollander on Monday, March 24 and by Rabbi Dr. Burton Visotzky, Emre Celike, and the Rev. Canon Eva Suarez on Monday, May 12. Tickets are offered on a “pay what you can” basis. The suggested ticket price is $15, with options to pay more or less.
- Rededication of The Great Organ FREE Recitals (Tuesdays, February 4, 11, 18, & Sundays, February 23 – April 6) – Following the momentous return of the Cathedral’s Great Organ, FREE recitals will be hosted throughout the month of February to showcase the acclaimed instrument and offer visitors the opportunity to experience its grand sound. With an impressive four manuals, seven divisions, and 8,514 pipes, the grand instrument is regarded as a national treasure and a masterpiece of American pipe organ building. It is the center of the Cathedral’s music program and a perfect match for its vast acoustics, making it one of the top venues in the country to hear organ repertoire.
- Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m.: Cathedral Director of Music and Organist Kent Tritle is set to perform epic favorites from Bach’s iconic Toccata and Fugue in D minor to Widor’s heroic 6th Symphony. Tickets are free with reservation.
- Tuesday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m.: Cathedral Associate Director of Music and Organist Daniel Ficarri will explore works by Copland, Barber, Glass, and more from different spaces in the Cathedral. Tickets are free with reservation.
- Tuesday, February 18 at 7:30 p.m.: Organist David Briggs will premiere his organ transcription of Brahms’ passionate 2nd Symphony alongside his own Mannahatta Diptyque, a musical tour of New York City throughout history. Tickets are free with reservation.
- Sunday, February 23 at 5:00 p.m.: Organist and Director of Chapel Music, Trinity College, Christopher Houlihan, will put on a performance co-presented by the Wagner Society of New York.
- The free Sunday recitals will continue until April 6. Please see the full schedule here for more details. Sunday recitals do not require a ticket.
- Grammy-Winning Experiential Orchestra (EXO)’s Reflections of Memory: An Immersive Concert of Strings (Saturday, February 22) – The Grammy-Winning Experiential Orchestra (EXO) will make its return to the Cathedral with Reflections of Memory, an immersive experience inviting audiences to lie down immersed in the sound of strings, walk in the space as the music reflects off the stones, or sit in seats surrounding the musicians. The program includes Strauss’ Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings, a kaleidoscopic exploration of harmony and color, and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis, one of the most celebrated works for strings. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and $100, with a limited number of $40 yoga mat tickets and $25 walking meditation tickets.
- Ash Wednesday Services (Wednesday, March 5) – In observance of Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, the Cathedral will offer “Ashes To Go” outside on the Cathedral’s West Front Stairs throughout the day, from 6:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., as well as from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 pm. Additionally, Holy Eucharist with Distribution of Ashes services will be held at 12:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with the evening service also being livestreamed.
- Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (Saturday, March 8) – Uniting the Cathedral’s stunning architecture with the musical structure of Bach’s masterwork through the creative placement of the Cathedral’s choirs within the space, the performance will feature the Cathedral Choristers (boys and girls) and the Cathedral Chorale to create the ethereal effect of vocal surround sound. The famous musical demands of the double choir and orchestras will be fulfilled by the excellent Cathedral Choir and Orchestra. The performance will take place during the holy season of Lent from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $40 for general admission and $70 for preferred seating.
- Hear My Song: New York City Gay Men’s Chorus (Friday, March 14) – Join the iconic New York City Gay Men’s Chorus on Friday, March 14 as they explore the profound experiences of growing up LGBTQ+ and the relationships with those who raised them in a program entitled Hear My Song. Featuring an array of music from Broadway to folk and newly commissioned pieces inspired by the Cathedral. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and tickets will be available starting January 14.
For more information and a calendar of events, visit www.stjohndivine.org and follow on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @StJohnDivineNYC.
About The Cathedral
As the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world founded in 1892, the trustees of the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine conceived its mission to be a house of prayer for all people, an instrument of church unity, and a center of intellectual light and leading in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
Today, as the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York and the seat of its bishop, the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine serves the many diverse people of our diocese, city, nation and world through the worship of God; pastoral, educational and community outreach activities; cultural and civic events; international ecumenical initiatives; and the preservation of the great architectural and historic site that is its legacy.
For more information, visit www.stjohndivine.org and follow on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @StJohnDivineNYC.
