This week in Christian history: Korean saint born, Paula White announces divorce, DC earthquake

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, August 21, 2022

National Cathedral damaged by earthquake – Aug. 23, 2011

A damaged stone angel is pictured on the roof of the main tower of Washington's National Cathedral after an earthquake Aug. 24, 2011. | Reuters/Jason Reed

This week marks the anniversary of when the Washington National Cathedral, one of the largest church buildings in the world, was damaged by a 5.8 earthquake.

A rare experience for the District of Columbia metropolitan area, the earthquake caused approximately $34 million in damage to the prominent Episcopal Church congregation.

“Staff in the nave and lower level gift shop worked to clear visitors,” recounted a special edition of Cathedral Age. “Cathedral staff gathered on North Road and tried to determine if their eyes were playing tricks on them or if the central tower was really swaying.”

Damage to the structure included cracks in the flying buttresses, several pieces of stonework being torn off, and the roof being damaged from falling pieces of stone.

Over the next 10 years, approximately $15 million in repairs to the cathedral structure were completed, with more work remaining to be done.