Bells ringing for every president since Coolidge? That’s just one small part of the story of the Church of the Epiphany. This diverse Episcopal community in downtown D.C. has a mission. It seeks justice and loves its neighbors.
The Church of the Epiphany has been around since 1842. A meeting was held to organize it in January of that year. The first service occurred a few weeks later. By May 1844, it had achieved parish status. The church building was consecrated in June 1852.
In 1857, transepts, a chancel and a tower were added. A home to help the sick and poor opened in December 1858. President Lincoln attended General Frederick Lander’s funeral here in March 1862. From July to December 1862, the church served as a hospital for Union troops.
The Church of the Epiphany is passionate about hospitality and justice. The community includes parishioners and downtown workers. It also welcomes friends, visitors, and the economically poor. It is an inclusive and diverse community.
Epiphany is made up of people from all over. They come from Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Many are also residents of the District of Columbia. The church is a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. It is also part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion.
The Epiphany Tower once held a single bell. During the Civil War, it was melted down for its metal. A new tower in 1922 paid tribute to Dr. Randolph Harrison McKim.
These bells were the first true set in Washington. Meneely & Company of Watervliet, New York made them. The largest bell reads: “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth Peace, Good Will Toward Men.”
The bells have rung for every presidential inauguration since Calvin Coolidge. A recording of the bells was featured on national radio after Truman’s and Eisenhower’s inaugurations. Today, the bells chime the quarter hours. They also play hymn-based peals on Sundays and weekdays. That is the sound of the Church of the Epiphany. A welcoming and historic place.