Washington National Cathedral to Hold Neil Armstrong Memorial Service on Sept. 13

(Photo Credit: NASA)NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong is seen in a portrait taken in 1969.

The Washington National Cathedral will be the site of a memorial for astronaut Neil Armstrong on September 13, the Cathedral and NASA announced Wednesday.

Among those who will be present at the 10 a.m. service will be The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, bishop of Washington and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.

Other participants expected to attend include dignitaries, community, political leaders, people associated with NASA, including former astronauts, along with members of Armstrong's family.

The National Cathedral, which is overseen by the The Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation Board of Trustees, noted that in 1974, Armstrong and fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins presented the Cathedral with a moon rock brought back from their Apollo XI mission. That presentation took place on the fifth anniversary of the first lunar landing.

The National Cathedral has a history of holding services celebrating NASA-related people and events.

On October 23, 1983, astronauts Collins and Capt. Frederick H. Hauck took part in a service to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of NASA. On February 6, 2003, the Cathedral was also the location of a memorial service for the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia, who had died during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.

A "very limited" number of seats will be made available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis for the September 13 event, the Cathedral said on its site, and gave contact details.

Copyright © 2013 Ecumenical News