A familiar sound filled the air in D.C. on Saturday as the Washington National Cathedral’s bells rang for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in the U.S. back in March.
A 10-man team had the carillon bells ringing out tunes such as “America: My Country Tis Of Thee” around midday from the 301-foot-tall bell tower — the highest point in the District.
This marks the first time the bells rang since Marianne Edgar Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, announced all D.C. area Episcopal churches would close their doors in March at the beginning of the region’s experience with the pandemic.
The Episcopal church was the first religious community in the area affected by the coronavirus.
Positive cases included the rector and organist of Christ Church in Georgetown.
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