On April 26, 2026, a brilliant spring Saturday, the Diocese of Olympia gathered at Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle to celebrate Cathedral Day 2026—our “family reunion” for Episcopalians across western Washington. This year’s Cathedral Day carried special significance, since it coincided with the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist and marked the 100th anniversary of Saint Mark’s designation as the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia.
More than 90 congregations from across the diocese came together for a day filled with worship, community, and celebration. For the 109 candidates being confirmed, received, or reaffirmed by Bishop LaBelle and retired Bishop Melissa Skelton, the day began with check-in at 8:30 am, alongside their sponsors, clergy, and congregational banner bearers. By 10:10 am, the vibrant congregational banners were lined up for the procession into the cathedral, and at 10:30 am, the liturgy of Holy Eucharist began, accompanied by music from the choirs of Saint Mark’s.
The centerpiece of the day is always the rite of Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation. “My favorite part of Cathedral Day, absolutely, is confirmations,” said the Ven. David Bishop, archbishop for formation and canon missioner for transition in the diocese. “To be able to stand next to the bishop and look into the eyes of people being confirmed and received—it’s extraordinary.”
For Jen Younggren of Saint Mark’s, the experience is deeply moving: “I love feeling the Holy Spirit. [I’m] moved by seeing so many people coming to get confirmed and received. It really does feel like a family reunion.”
The Rt. Rev. Phil LaBelle, Bishop of Olympia, shared that his favorite part is seeing the entire diocese together. “It’s such a beautiful day here in the spring. To have so many people, from so many different congregations, coming here to say they want to follow the way of Jesus and follow Jesus—it’s just amazing,” he said. “What Cathedral Day really means to me is just this opportunity to gather together across our whole diocese, to see just how diverse we are, from all over Western Washington, to come and gather around the table together, to hear the word of God together. To me, this is the epitome of everything we stand form – deepening our relationships with God, with each other, with this creative world around us.”
This service at year’s Cathedral Day featured a sermon by the Rev. Ivar Hillesland, who spoke on the transformative power of baptism. “The Good News of God begins in the real world, not the ideal world,” he preached. “The boundary between heaven and earth is permanently ruptured. This God is not a distant God. God is with us, and nothing will ever be the same.” He reminded the gathered community that baptism is not a mere ritual, but “a powerful, life-altering event,” where “the ordinary becomes the site of God’s divine intervention and presence.”
After the service, participants spilled out onto the cathedral lawn for lunch from food trucks offering a variety of cuisines—from arepas to Pan-Asian dishes. “I cannot wait to go eat at that food truck right there,” Bishop LaBelle laughed. “Are you kidding? I am looking forward to tacos later on this afternoon.”
The afternoon was filled with activities for all ages, reinforcing the day’s spirit of joy and connection. Families and parish groups explored docent-led tours of the cathedral and crypt, admired restored WWII-era chalk art, launched paper airplanes from the organ loft, and listened to a demonstration of the mighty Flentrop organ. Children lined up for face painting, while others walked the labyrinth, strolled the greenbelt, or visited the seed library to bring living reminders of Cathedral Day back to their own parishes.
For many attendees, the day was about more than just events—it was about connection. Michael Monnikendam, attending his first Cathedral Day after working 20 years in the diocese, shared, “It’s nice to see old friends, new friends, and see everybody come together for this day.”
Josh Lott of Christ Church, Puyallup agreed: “My favorite part is all the different parishes coming together and worshiping in this one church. Cathedral Day is just a recognition of the beautiful community that Christ is bringing together here in our area.”
As the Diocese of Olympia celebrated a century of Saint Mark’s as its cathedral, Cathedral Day 2026 served as a living testament, a reminder that no congregation is alone, and that the Episcopal Church in western Washington is one vibrant, gathered family. Or, as Stephen Crippen of St. Paul’s in Seattle put it, “It is a jamboree for the whole diocese, which is always healthy, and it’s not Convention. It’s something more festive—and more splendid—than that.”
View photos from Cathedral Day 2026 in the gallery below. And you can download any photo from the day you’d like by visiting the Cathedral Day 2026 photo album at the link below.
