National Cathedral Crane Accident Forces Changes In 9/11 Anniversary Events

After the toppling of a massive crane at Washington National Cathedral on Wednesday, two major events planned for this weekend's commemoration of the tenth anniversary of September 11 have been forced to change venues while another has been postponed to a later date.

In a press release Thursday, Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III said that Friday night's "A Concert to Honor" and Sunday's "A Concert for Hope" have been moved to Washington's John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

"We are grateful that there were no serious injuries in the crane accident, and while we are disappointed that we will not be able to host our 'Call to Compassion' commemoration in the Cathedral itself, we are determined to live out our mission to serve as the spiritual home for the nation as we remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The safety of our visitors and the staff of the Cathedral is our top priority, and we will make no compromises when it comes to that responsibility. At the same time we will not let obstacles put in our way stop us from fulfilling our mission as the spiritual home for the nation."

Sunday night's event will feature remarks from President Barack Obama in addition to musical performances by Alan Jackson, Patti LaBelle and Denyce Graves. Additionally, an outdoor community concert scheduled for Saturday afternoon on the Cathedral grounds will be rescheduled for a later date.

The crane was in place to help repair damage sustained to the National Cathedral during the earthquake that struck the eastern part of the United States on Aug. 23. While no serious injuries resulted, the crane caused damage to two satellite buildings on the grounds as well as vehicles parked outside when it fell.

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