New York’s massive cathedral, including its crypt, will become a field hospital during the coronavirus pandemic https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/04/07/new-york-church-hospital-st-john-cathedral-graham/

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Manhattan, one of the largest church buildings in the world, will partner with the Rev. Franklin Graham’s ministry, Samaritan’s Purse.

In New York City on Monday, the number of coronavirus cases reached 68,766, including an estimated 15,333 patients who were hospitalized, and the death toll was 2,738.

The Samaritan’s Purse partnership with a center for liberal causes is highly unusual.

“We all need to be working together and put our differences aside,” Graham said. “We’re not there to talk about politics. We’re not there to talk about gay marriage. We’re there to save lives.”

“Regardless of who comes in, we’re going to do what we can to save them,” Graham said. “This coronavirus is going to kill Democrats, Republicans, independents. It’s going to kill gay people, straight people, African Americans, whites, Asians. It is not a respecter of persons.”

Graham said that he didn’t realize how serious the coronavirus pandemic was until three weeks ago, when a member of his staff in North Carolina was diagnosed with the virus that causes the disease covid-19.

Graham described the virus as “part of the fallen world.”

“We have worshiped other gods in this country, and those gods are sports or entertainment. ... The people we’ve idolized are on the shelf. I think God is trying to get our attention. He wants us to worship him.”

Meanwhile, people don't remember this, but one year ago, on Palm Sunday, a fire in the cathedral's crypt forced its worshipers outside, just one day before the famed Notre Dame cathedral in Paris was overcome by flames.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/04/07/new-york-church-hospital-st-john-cathedral-graham/

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