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National Cathedral sustained 'mind boggling' damage in earthquake
The Hill ^ | 08/24/11 | Alicia M. Cohn

Posted on 08/24/2011 7:38:09 AM PDT by markomalley

The Washington National Cathedral sustained significant damage in the earthquake that hit D.C. on Tuesday afternoon.

Damage included arch displacement, cracking, falling limestone and rotating pinnacles on the Cathedral's neogothic towers.

National Cathedral Head Mason Joe Alonso estimated a piece weighing about 3,000 pounds toppled from the central tower. He called the damage to that section of the Cathedral "mind boggling."

A link to video of Alonso detailing the damage was tweeted by the National Cathedral on Wednesday morning.

"A lot of what fell, we're fortunate that it fell in toward the roof and not out toward the streets," Alonso said in the video.

National Cathedral staff tweeted out information about damage sustained by the historic building on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning following the 5.8 magnitude earthquake felt across a large portion of the East Coast on Tuesday afternoon.

One of the first questions answered through Twitter may have brought a sigh of relief to fans of the sci-fi trilogy Star Wars. "We've checked, and Darth Vader appears to be okay," staff tweeted.

The Star Wars villain is one of the many gargoyles included on the northwest tower of the Cathedral.

The National Cathedral is the fourth tallest structure in Washington, D.C. Its foundation was laid in 1907.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: ecusa; nationalcathedral; washingtoncathedral
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To: markomalley

I was shocked to learn that the Natl. Cathedral was built according to medieval building methods — no steel bracing, etc. — just stone on stone. This would never be allowed in CA. There will be aftershocks for weeks, and it would be wise to stay away from buildings like that.

I talked to my daughter last night. She is a teacher in a private school in Richmond and they are in session already. Much of yesterday was spent reviewing fire drills, etc., so the earthquake was just a natural part of the planned day.

BUT, they seemed to have no rational plan on how to deal with it. I asked if she put her kids under their desks, and she pointed out that they have no desks. (She teaches music, and the first sign of the quake was that all of the chimes in her classroom started ringing.)

But the school ordered the students to leave the classroom and line up in the hall on the side where there are no lockers. My daughter’s class found that their spot was already taken by another class and they had to line up on the locker side — bad idea. I’m sure that there are going to be teacher meetings today on a new plan. I hope that the first thing they do is to bolt those lockers to the wall. That would be a cheap precaution.

My SIL’s business (a major CC company) was just chaos. Employees were told to evacuate the cafeteria and then were ordered back in. Nobody had a plan. I hope they get it together.

My granddaughter (on the 3rd floor of her private school) fell off her chair during the quake. My grandson (who was at home because his school has not started yet) didn’t know about the quake. His excuse? “I felt the house moving, but we don’t have quakes in Virginia, so I knew it was not a quake.”

The main disruption is that nobody could make a phone call. All the networks were jammed.


21 posted on 08/24/2011 8:00:44 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Doulos1

I believe that it is episcopalian.


22 posted on 08/24/2011 8:00:58 AM PDT by pfflier
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To: markomalley

It’s true. The churches built in “official capacity” by the country are usually in Episcopal fashion. So is the Cadet Chapel at West Point.


23 posted on 08/24/2011 8:02:26 AM PDT by chargers fan
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To: Doulos1

It’s Episcopalian.


24 posted on 08/24/2011 8:03:07 AM PDT by kalee (The offenses we give, we write in the dust; Those we take, we engrave in marble. J Huett 1658)
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To: Rennes Templar
A Darth Vader gargoyle? Am I missing something?

It's real.


25 posted on 08/24/2011 8:06:31 AM PDT by submarinerswife (Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results~Einstein)
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To: Diogenesis

What to say? Medieval does as medieval is ...


26 posted on 08/24/2011 8:12:06 AM PDT by Madam Theophilus
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To: markomalley
A step-cousin of mine was married there about twenty years ago, it is a beautiful cathedral.
27 posted on 08/24/2011 8:15:08 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Actually, the roof of the National Cathedral is held up by steel I beams.... IE modern construction (by 1920s standards, when it was mostly planned and built). Certain elements (spires, flying butresses, etc.) were however, built by the only standards we have for such structures, that of medieval cathedrals.

Considering the vast majority of medieval-era cathedrals still stand—after 800+ years, of wars, fires, and violence.... not a bad method of construction, IMHO. Of course most of Europe, like the USA’s East, doesn’t normally have earthquakes.


28 posted on 08/24/2011 8:15:18 AM PDT by AnalogReigns
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To: submarinerswife

Why?


29 posted on 08/24/2011 8:18:57 AM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: markomalley

“Wrong.

It is the Episcopal cathedral.

The Roman Catholic Cathedral is the Cathedral of St Matthew, located in Georgetown.”

Thanks Mark.


30 posted on 08/24/2011 8:19:53 AM PDT by BenKenobi (Honkeys for Herman!)
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To: Rennes Templar; markomalley; Doulos1

his is the Episcopal National Cathedral.

The Catholic one is entitled the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Now does Darth Vader make sense — it’s Episcopal.

You are mistaken, Doulos1, it is an Episcopal Church — Clinton would sometimes go there.


31 posted on 08/24/2011 8:22:09 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: markomalley
Am I wrong or are there two cathedrals back there. I rmember a story about the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of America asking for an alcove and altar there, but the bishops refused.

But you live back there somewhere!

Regarding Our Lady of America [Ecumenical]

32 posted on 08/24/2011 8:25:03 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: markomalley
It is the Episcopal cathedral.

A little heads-up from the Almighty, perhaps?

33 posted on 08/24/2011 8:29:07 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: markomalley

I thought this was THE Catholic Church in DC.

http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/c.osJRKVPBJnH/b.4719297/k.BF65/Home.htm


34 posted on 08/24/2011 8:29:36 AM PDT by Let's Roll (Save the world's best healthcare - REPEAL, DEFUND Obamacare!)
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To: So Cal Rocket

Caddyshack gopher on the right?


35 posted on 08/24/2011 8:34:49 AM PDT by fnord (Republicans are just the right-wing of the left-wing of American politics)
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To: Let's Roll; Salvation

In a sense, yes. But the cathedral for the archdiocese of Washington is St. Mathew’s. The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is not under the direct control of the Archdiocese.


36 posted on 08/24/2011 8:37:34 AM PDT by Romulus (The Traditional Latin Mass is the real Youth Mass)
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To: Doulos1
I think the building is misnamed.

It is your right to think as you please.

We have no national cathedral because we have no national religion.

The owners of the "National Cathedral" are free to name their building as they see fit. Fed.gov does not hold copyright on the adjective "national". Neither do you.

It is the Roman Catholic cathedral in nation’s capital.

Making up your "facts" as you go along gives you the appearance of being foolish. Neither the "Roman" Catholics (whoever they may be) nor any other sort of Catholics have anything to do with the National Cathedral.

37 posted on 08/24/2011 8:37:53 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Doulos1

Wrongo—it’s Episcopalian and I resent our tax money financing that un-American, anti-Christian so-called religion. I know, I attended ONE service there—there will never be a second.


38 posted on 08/24/2011 8:38:21 AM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: Rennes Templar

Darth keeps the rebels at bay.


39 posted on 08/24/2011 8:38:42 AM PDT by submarinerswife (Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results~Einstein)
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To: madprof98

I bet no one remembers the last time the GOSPEL was uttered inside those walls.


40 posted on 08/24/2011 8:40:58 AM PDT by .45 Long Colt
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