Twenty-fourth Annual Maundy Thursday Reading of

Dante’s Inferno

Thursday, April 13, 2017
9:00 pm – midnight

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine
1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street)

Poets, Performers And Translators Descend Into The Underworld For The Annual Maundy Thursday Reading

Of Dante’s Inferno On April 13

Hundreds of poetry lovers will congregate for the 24th annual Maundy Thursday reading of Dante’s Inferno, Thursday, April 13th from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine; 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street), Manhattan.

This longtime tradition has called thousands of New Yorkers to descend into Dante Alighieri’s literary hellscape. The annual reading of selections from the Inferno brings poets and friends into the “dark woods” of Dante’s haunting vision to hear the unforgettable descriptions of sin, torment, Hell and, woven through it all, love.

This dramatic literary event will be held in the Crossing of the Cathedral with selected Cantos read by honored guests, distinguished poets, eminent translators, visiting scholars, and Inferno reading regulars. The readers will recite excerpts from Dante’s classic work during the Maundy Thursday vigil, reenacting the epic’s spiritual journey, set during the hours leading to Easter Sunday. Joining the Cathedral’s Poet in Residence Marilyn Nelson for this year’s reading will be noted authors, artists and performers, including Michael Palma, Charles Martin and Frank Messina. As a special addition, this year’s reading will conclude with the final canto from Dante’s Paradiso, an allegorical depiction of the glorious Heaven so fervently sought by the souls wandering through the Inferno.

The event is open to the public; however, a $10 donation at the door is appreciated.

For more information, call (212) 316-7540 or go to http://www.stjohndivine.org/visit/calendar/events/poetry/15844/the-inferno-of-dante-alighieri-a-reading-4