Washington National Cathedral

Acoustic musical performances by Graham Nash, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Keb’ Mo’, Krishna Das, Emily Saliers and John Hall.

Bishop John Bryson Chane and Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III and a nave full of people joined together on Tuesday, October 16 for an extraordinary night of prayer and music. Renowned musicians and prominent religious leaders expressed our collective desire for peace in song and spiritual wisdom from diverse traditions. We rejoiced in offering this interfaith expression of the Cathedral’s Centennial celebration and honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, on the eve of his receipt of the Congressional Gold Medal. Proceeds supported the Cathedral Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation and the International Campaign for Tibet.

Pray for Peace began as a collaborative effort between Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills and Nash and Bishop John Bryson Chane. For over three years, the vision of Bishop John Chane and Graham Nash has focused on a prayer service and concert centering on global peace at Washington National Cathedral.

Graham and Bishop Chane were hopeful that if and when His Holiness the Dalai Lama returned to Washington the concert would be based on his ongoing efforts at seeking peace in a troubled and broken world and lifting up the need for all persons to respect the dignity of every human being.

After over three and a half years the dream became a reality. A prayer service with the participation of Tibetan monks and a senior lama was followed by a concert. The concert featured two songs from each artist, Emily Saliers, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Keb’ Mo’, and Jackson Browne.

Participants included Chief Stephen Adkins; Chickahominy Tribe of Virginia; Sheikh Ahmad Bahraini; Shia Imam and Director of the Islamic Education Center in Maryland; Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa; Senior Tibetan Monk at Sera Mey Monastery, India; The Rev. Dr. Bernice Powell Jackson; President of the North American Region of the World Council of Churches; The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky; Moderator of Religions for Peace and Director of External Affairs for the Orthodox Church in America; Imam Mohamed Magid; Sunni Imam and Director of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society; Ruth Messinger; President of American Jewish World Service; Rabbi David Saperstein; Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; The Rev. Mpho Tutu; Founder of the Tutu Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage and Chair of the Global AIDS Alliance

The famed tradition of Tibetan Buddhist chanting highlighted the interfaith prelude prayer ceremony, under the direction of senior lamas Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. and featuried highly trained chantmasters. Read about the Guhyasamaja Center.

—PRESS KIT—

Statement by Bishop John Bryson Chane:
People of faith need to make their voices heard both within their temples, cathedrals, mosques and holy places, and beyond. They must take the lead in advocating for an end to violence.

Statement by Graham Nash:
To me, it has always been the most ‘un-religious’ of actions to kill human beings in the name of God. It is time for the religious community to help put a stop to this madness by coming together and denouncing these killings. Many religious leaders are joining us at the Cathedral to literally “Pray for Peace.” I hope you have the courage to join us.

Statement by Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III:
Peace is urgently needed throughout the world—whether on the streets of the nation’s capital, in Sudan’s Darfur region or throughout war-torn Iraq. Each of us is called to do what we can to create a more peaceful world within our own communities or across the globe. Please join leaders of various faith traditions and renowned musicians as we “pray for peace” together at Washington National Cathedral.

Participant Photos for Print

* credit: Pam Springsteen