Leaders of a historic Episcopal church in Alexandria have decided to remove a pair of plaques from its sanctuary that memorialize two of their most prominent parishioners: George Washington and Robert E. Lee. In a letter sent Thursday to members of the Christ Church congregation, church leaders explained that the decision came after much deliberation. York-Simmons and other church leaders spent much of September discussing the matter with members of the 1,800-person congregation. Mary Custis Lee, Robert E. Lee’s wife, gifted the church $10,000 to help begin its endowment. Even though much of the recent national debate has centered around Civil War memorials, church leaders said they thought that it was important for the plaques to be considered together.

Source: Washington Post October 28, 2017 22:41 UTC