5 Interesting Facts About Memorial Day

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Monday, May 29, 2017

3. Blessing of the Bikes

The 2014 'Blessing of the Bikes' held at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. | (Photo: Washington National Cathedral)

Every Memorial Day, large numbers of motorcyclists make the journey to the Washington, D.C., area, with an emphasis on the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials.

With a participation rate estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands, Rolling Thunder's primary purpose is to raise awareness about soldiers who remain listed as Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.

And each year, Washington National Cathedral holds a "Blessing of the Bikes" a few days before Memorial Day Monday.

Ruth Frey, director of programs at Washington National Cathedral, told The Christian Post in 2015 that "Rolling Thunder's presence at the Cathedral reminds us all we cannot fully recognize and honor the living without also remembering those who have been lost."

"This event with Rolling Thunder is part of the Cathedral's ongoing initiative to recognize and pay tribute to veterans, to offer a sacred space for spiritual healing, and to educate the civilian public about the experience of veterans and the challenges they and their families face when returning home," said Frey.