The Washington National Cathedral is honoring Matthew Shepard on Thursday, which marks 25 years since the gay college student's death.
The church honored Shepard by ringing its bell 25 times at noon.
The 21-year-old was beaten, tied to a fence post and left to die in Wyoming on Oct. 6, 1998. Six days later, on Oct. 12, he died of his injuries. The anti-gay hate crime marked a turning point in the movement for LGBTQ+ rights.
Shepard's murder sparked terror in many LGBTQ+ people.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. >Sign up here.
"When I was growing up, I thought that what happened to him would eventually happen to me," said Kevin Eckstrom, the chief public affairs officer of the Cathedral.
Shepard’s remains were interred at the Cathedral on Oct. 26, 2018, and a bronze plaque was installed in 2019 to mark his final resting place in St. Joseph’s Chapel.
Eckstrom said it means everything that Shepard’s legacy was honored at the Cathedral because many LGBTQ+ people have been turned away and victimized by churches.
“We’ve gone 25 years from protests at his funeral to a place that offers a wide welcome to him, to the entire LGBTQ community, and it’s really changed,” said Eckstrom.
Visitors can visit the Cathedral to visit Shepard’s final resting place and reflect on his life and legacy until 5 p.m. Thursday. A service will be held on Nov. 30 to mark Shepard’s birthday.
