UWS Cathedral To Host Candlelight Vigil For Coronavirus Victims

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A well-known church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan is hosting a prayer vigil on Monday to recognize the nation's grief and resilience during the coronavirus pandemic.

The vigil will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue near West 112th Street.

The church is hosting the ceremony in partnership with Mourning Into Unity. It is a nonprofit organization that assists with "community-wide exploration of death and celebration of life through creativity and conversation," according to an About section on its website.

The vigil at St. John the Divine will be one of many across the country on Monday.

"Today, as the coronavirus pandemic and political tensions continue to wreak havoc throughout our neighborhoods, the Cathedral mourns with broken and the lost, and pledge to uphold the community ties and mutual respect that underpin American democracy," the Cathedral of St. John the Divine said in a news release.

Social distancing guidelines and masks will be mandated in the cathedral during the event.

If you want to attend the vigil, the cathedral asks that you RSVP on its website, so that staff can adequately plan for safety procedures.

During the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in New York City, the cathedral housed a temporary field hospital with over 50 beds.

The cathedral holds more than 30 services a week and also serves roughly 25,000 meals annually from its soup kitchen within the building.