A letter from W.H. Auden to St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery

From the EV Grieve inbox... poet W.H. Auden's response to a new liturgy at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery. Opens with "Have you gone stark raving mad?" and concludes with,"I implore you by the bowels of Christ." (Checking on the date of the letter.)

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St. Mark's posted the letter as part of its social media outreach for the Partners in Preservation contest. The church has applied for a restoration grant for its historic cast-iron portico. In total, there are 40 New York landmarks competing. Grants will be awarded based in part on the number of online votes each organization can gather. Supporters can vote for St. Mark's at the Partners in Preservation website.

The Duo Multicultural Arts Center on East Fourth Street was the other East Village "historic place" selected to compete in the program. DMAC hopes to restore six murals and its decorative tin ceiling. Details here.