Carving Rosa Parks Into National Cathedral's Human Rights Porch (PHOTOS)

LOOK: Stonecarver Creates Rosa Parks Carving At National Cathedral

WASHINGTON -- Poking around the exterior and interior of Washington National Cathedral, you'll find elaborate gargoyles and stone carvings -- featuring a smorgasbord of animals and mythical creatures and notable figures like "Star Wars" villain Darth Vader and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

This week, the cathedral community will be celebrating a new stone-carved addition to its Human Rights Porch: the late civil rights activist Rosa Parks. Last year, work began carvings of Parks and Mother Theresa.

The Parks carving will be formally installed on Thursday with an evening of song and prayer.

According to the Cathedral, the porch celebrates "those who struggle to bring equality and social justice to all people." Above the porch's portal are full-figure statues of Archbishop Óscar Romero, former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and former Cathedral Dean and Bishop of Washington John T. Walker.

Here's a selection of photos of stonecarver Sean Callahan creating the Parks carving:

Rosa Parks Carving

Rosa Parks Carving At Washington National Cathedral

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