Asheville -- June 1, 2026 For the first time since the devastating floodwaters of Tropical Storm Helene tore through Biltmore Village, the historic bells of the Cathedral of All Souls rang out on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
The return of the Westminster Peal marked an emotional milestone for the congregation, coinciding with a special, youth-led service held inside the historic sanctuary to honor six graduating high school seniors.
While the service offered a profound moment of homecoming for a community displaced for nine months, church leadership notes that it does not signify a full reopening. The cathedral campus remains shuttered to the general public as a massive $10 million restoration effort gets underway.
A Youth-Led Return
The landmark episcopal church, which previously sustained four feet of mud and water during the September 2024 storm, opened its doors exclusively for Sunday's milestone event. In place of traditional pews, parishioners sat in folding chairs, with lighting provided by a temporary utility power pole erected on the property.
The service itself was entirely coordinated and led by the six graduating high school seniors from the All Souls congregation. The youth-led liturgy, combined with the long-awaited chiming of the church bells, provided a poignant symbols of generational resilience for attendees.
The $10 Million Rebuild
Despite the success of Sunday’s service, church officials emphasize that the physical recovery of the historic campus is in its early stages.
The flooding severely impacted the primary sanctuary, the parish hall, and surrounding structural assets. The cathedral will remain closed for regular weekly worship throughout the majority of the summer to allow heavy structural restoration and modernization to continue.
Current project projections estimate that full recovery will require approximately $10 million. The comprehensive capital project is designed to not only restore the architectural integrity of the historic landmark but also to install advanced, modern flood mitigation systems. Leaders hope the upgrades will secure the campus as a regional center of safety and community resiliency during future weather emergencies.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0