Sacred Sites Open House to take place on May 22

The New York Landmarks Conservancy is once again sponsoring a statewide Sacred Sites Open House on Sunday, May 22. The Sacred Sites Committee of The Preservation Association of the Southern Tier (PAST) hosts this local event. It is free and open to the public.

Sacred Sites in Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott and Endwell will be welcoming visitors at varied times from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The New York Landmarks Conservancy has set the theme, Celebrating the Diversity of New York’s Historic Houses of Worship.

All 21 participants, including three new sites, United Presbyterian Church, Binghamton, Northminster Presbyterian, Endwell and Our Lady of Good Counsel, Endicott will showcase their unique structure, history and culture. This is an opportunity for visitors to view the spectacular interiors of varied religious structures in our community.

The sites are grouped in clusters along specific streets, neighborhoods or downtown areas. In this way, visitors can select groups of sites to visit that may be in walking distance of each other. Sites will welcome visitors, give tours, sing hymns, perform musical recitals, explain architecture, stained glass windows and tell the history of their building and congregation. Several sites also inform visitors about social and community activities that take place at the site outside of the religious service.

For a list of participants and their times in this year’s Sacred Sites Open House on Sunday, May 22, visit the PAST website at www.pastny.org or obtain flyers at most religious sites, local libraries and historical societies. The Sacred Sites Committee would like to invite everyone to this very important event and thank all the participants for their willingness and efforts to be included in this open house.