Skip to main content

Duke University Chapel Reopening Celebration May 11

chapel montage

Duke University Chapel reopens to the public May 11 with a daylong celebration featuring music, tours and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Duke University Chapel is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, May 11, with a daylong celebration beginning at 10 a.m."With gratitude, we are going to celebrate the reopening of Duke University Chapel and all that it represents as an icon of the university, a house of worship and a sanctuary for all people," said Chapel Dean Luke A. Powery. "May it continue to be a sacred place that embodies the university motto -- Eruditio et Religio -- bridging faith and learning."The event, which is free and open to the public, will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours, a communion service, a time of silence and music.The chapel has been closed since May 11, 2015, for restoration work that was originally prompted by a small piece of ceiling tile that fell in 2012. During the yearlong restoration project, workers have inspected and refurbished the ceiling of the entire main nave area and also replaced the building’s lead-coated copper roof. Final aspects of the project include an upgraded electrical system and other infrastructure improvements.The university will hold baccalaureate services and other graduation ceremonies in the chapel on May 13-15. The chapel will hold the first Sunday morning worship service in the building since the restoration at 11 a.m. May 22. A choral evensong service takes place at 4 p.m. that day. In advance of the reopening, a University Archives exhibit, "An Iconic Identity: Stories and Voices of Duke University Chapel," in Perkins Library looks at how the chapel has been at the intersections of many aspects of campus life -- from protest and preaching, to reflection and music, to graduations and weddings. An exhibit reception from 4-6 p.m., Friday, April 15, at Rubenstein Library will include remarks, music and refreshments. In the weeks leading to the reopening, event information, stories and multimedia features will be posted online at https://chapel.duke.edu/ and on the chapel’s social media channels.