Date Posted: 2025-11-20 15:43:42 | Video Duration: 00:02:02
The Washington National Cathedral, a historic Protestant Episcopalian church in the heart of the nation’s capital, is set to host the funeral service for former US Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday. This event places Cheney among a distinguished group of American leaders who have been honored with services at this iconic venue.
State funerals at the cathedral have previously been held for presidents such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter, underscoring the cathedral’s role as a pivotal intersection of the civic and the sacred. The cathedral has also been the site of funerals for other notable figures, including Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court Justice, moonwalking astronaut Neil Armstrong, and renowned scientist Jane Goodall.
Beyond its role as a venue for significant funerals, the Washington National Cathedral is also the final resting place for a select few. President Woodrow Wilson stands as the only president interred within its grounds. The author and activist Helen Keller, along with her teacher Anne Sullivan, are buried in the cathedral’s crypt. Additionally, the ashes of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student whose tragic death in 1998 brought national attention to hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community, are interred there. His resting place has become a site of pilgrimage for many.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the stories encapsulated within the cathedral’s walls narrate a unique American journey. In the words of President Lincoln, who spoke of “our better angels,” the cathedral is a place designed to inspire awe through its Gothic architecture. The hope is that it will continue to inspire future generations to live meaningful lives that make a difference in the world.
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