The church of St. John the Divine in New York Metropolis lit up in rainbow colours in June 2024 to rejoice Satisfaction Month.
In early June 2024, images started to flow into on social media claiming the within of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York Metropolis had lit up in rainbow colours to rejoice Satisfaction Month:
This vibrant picture had garnered greater than 972,000 views and three,900 likes. Different individuals posted similar pictures, and even a video, claiming it was the within of the church. However the posts have been additionally the goal of conservative outrage. One particular person replied to the primary submit saying, “And whoever allowed it needs to be excommunicated.” One other response mentioned, “Disgusting blasphemy. A person can not serve two masters. You can’t be a Christian and an intersectional marxist.”
As we’ll see, the claims have been true.
St. John the Divine is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church. A department of the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church has included and welcomed homosexual and lesbian individuals since not less than 1976, an inclusion that has prolonged to individuals of various gender identities and expressions. LGBTQ+ individuals can’t solely pray within the Episcopal custom, but additionally turn out to be ordained and, since 2012, be elected bishop. In 2015, the Episcopal Church codified same-sex and gender-neutral marriage. In accordance with the Human Rights Campaign:
With an estimated 2.3 million members, the Episcopal Church is open and welcoming of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood. Not like the Worldwide Anglican Communion, of which it’s a half, the Episcopal Church doesn’t condemn homosexuality.
On June 1, 2024, the primary day of Satisfaction Month, the Rev. Meg Stapleton Smith gave a sermon on the church. Stapleton Smith is openly queer, in keeping with a 2022 profile on the Fordham College web site, which described her want to turn out to be an Episcopal priest. Behind her, the transept and the apse have been lit within the colours of the rainbow, confirming the pictures of social media customers:
On June 9, 2024, video of the Holy Eucharist, as companies are recognized within the Episcopal Church, confirmed the aisles and the ambulatory additionally have been lit in rainbow colours:
Additionally on the cathedral’s web site was this system for “Iconic Pride,” a collection of occasions organized by the congregation to rejoice Satisfaction Month. The primary occasion, on Could 31, 2024, was described as follows (emphasis ours):
Satisfaction Eve, A Pilgrimage to Satisfaction
Kick off Satisfaction 2024 on the Cathedral with A Pilgrimage to Satisfaction.
Journey to the Higher West Facet for a night of crafts, colour, and pageantry. The evening will start with a cocktail hour the place guests are inspired to tour the Cathedral, mingle, and go to completely different craft stations. Our Host, the Grasping Peasant, will then take to the stage for a 40-minute efficiency culminating in illumination of the Cathedral in its conventional rainbow lights.
All are welcome for this big day, with monochromatic fanciful gown inspired. The recommended colours embody crimson, orange, yellow, inexperienced, blue, and purple. Tassels additionally implied.
The Grasping Peasant, a queer social media star who likes to reside out his ardour for medieval instances, posted images of the occasion on Instagram:
The Anglican Communion encompasses 46 churches across more than 165 countries, together with in elements of Africa, Asia and Latin America. It’s the third-largest Christian communion after the Catholic Church and the Jap Orthodox Church, with 85 million individuals.
The most important “province” of the Anglican Communion in inhabitants is the Church of Nigeria, which is staunchly against homosexuality and different LGBTQ+ expressions. Many provinces in Asia additionally oppose broader inclusion of their church buildings. The disagreement has created a rift within the Anglican Communion, with the extra conservative church buildings expressing frustration on the Anglican management for not taking a stricter stance towards the richer, extra progressive provinces, just like the Episcopal Church, which have proven help for same-sex marriage.
