WELCOME TO SAINT JOHN’S CHURCH

Welcome to St. John's Church, Lafayette Square—a vibrant historic Episcopal church located across from the White House. We invite you to join with us for worship, Christian fellowship and outreach.

History

From our organization as a parish in 1815 to today, St. John's Church has provided a powerful symbol of faith in the heart of our nation's capital.

Mission

At St. John's, we believe Christ is calling us to be a renewed church in a changing world. In worship, education, parish life, and social action, we seek to expand our horizons by serving God by loving one another.

Clergy, Staff, & Vestry

Meet St. John’s diverse and engaging clergy, vestry and staff.

Directions & Parking

Located at the corner of 16th and H Streets in Northwest Washington, St. John's is near the McPherson Square and Farragut North Metro stations. Limited street parking is available; free valet parking is offered for certain hours.
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Get Rite with Lent

Psalm 122
Ecclesiasticus 47:8-10
Hebrews 13:14-21
Luke 24:44-48
Now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Psalm 122:2
Cyril of Jerusalem (b. 315) was the bishop credited with having organized and instituted much of the Palm Sunday and Holy Week liturgies we still practice.  Consecrated in 349, Cyril lived in a city troubled by ecclesiastical disputes; he was banished and restored three times.  Yet he prevailed in his dedication to teaching the faith through the ordered rhythm of annual rites and liturgies of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and ultimate walk to Golgotha.
In the mid-fourth century, as now, Jerusalem attracted many pilgrims, especially during Lent and Easter, who visited the holy sites and attended the teaching and liturgies.  Among them was a nun from Galicia, Spain, named Egeria, who recorded Cyril’s pre-baptismal instruction and rites in detail.  Her account helped spread the practice of the Jerusalem observance and is why we have them today.
What can we still learn from a fourth century teacher-bishop and an enthusiastic nun?   First, nothing much has changed in the world: Jerusalem is still a city troubled by religious and political divisiveness, a microcosm of and metaphor for the church and the world.  Second, the observance of Lent, Palm Sunday, and Holy Week has been an essential element of who we are as Christians since the fourth century.  And, third, faith thrives when ordered by rite and regimen.
Public worship, like private prayer, is a cornerstone of who we are as Christians.  Thanks be to God for the opportunity to re-enter the gates of Jerusalem each Sunday in Lent and throughout Holy Week.

– Ben Hutto

March 18 - Cyril 2


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