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'You Are Safe Now': Matthew Shepard Laid To Rest At National Cathedral 20 Years Later
Matthew Shepard, the young gay man brutally killed on a chilly night in Wyoming 20 years ago this month, was finally laid to rest at Washington National Cathedral on Friday. A reflective, music-filled service offered stark contrast to the anti-gay protests that marred his funeral two decades ago.
The public remembrance at the filled 4,000-seat cathedral was led by the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal bishop of Washington, and the Right Rev. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man elected a bishop in the Episcopal Church. After, his ashes were interred at the cathedral's crypt in a private family ceremony.
Robinson was emotional throughout the public ceremony, tearfully addressing the large crowd. "For Matthew to come back to church," he said, "is a remarkable step forward."
He extended a particular welcome to attendees who are LGBT, saying, "Many of you have been hurt by your own religious communities, and I want to welcome you back."
Shepard's parents requested that their son's ashes be interred at the cathedral after 20 years of reluctance. They feared his gravesite would be desecrated.
"Matthew loved the church," said Shepard's father, Dennis. "He loved the fact that it was a safe place for anyone who wanted to enter."(keep reading)
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