Elie Wiesel memorialized with bust at the Washington National Cathedral

The bust was sculpted the DC tape Porch for Human Rights alongside Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, civil rights activist Jonathan Daniels and Eleanor Roosevelt and others “who have taken meaningful, profound and life-changing actions in the fight for human rights, social justice , the civil rights and welfare of other human beings, “the cathedral said in a press release.

Wiesel, who died in 2016 at the age of 87, survived the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps and wrote dozens of books, including “Night,” documenting the horrors he, his family, and others faced during the Holocaust. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

“From the depths of cruelty inflicted on him, his family, and so many millions of Jews and others during the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel devoted his life to the pursuit of human rights and to listening to the lessons of history.” said Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral, in the press release.

“The presence of Wiesel’s likeness alongside other prominent human rights defenders from multiple religious traditions underscores the Cathedral’s commitment to defending itself against hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism,” the statement said.

The cathedral’s stone carver, Sean Callahan, created the bust and the Wiesel family was consulted about its design, according to the statement.

Wiesel’s widow, Marion, is the vice president of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. He said he worked to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to help prevent other communities from suffering the same fate.

“His presence at the national cathedral not only memorizes his life and honors his commitment to human rights; it also guarantees that new generations will learn from his teachings and lead the lessons of his life into the future,” he said in the statement. .

Autumn, according to the cathedral, will hold a dedication ceremony for the bust.