The astronaut was also an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, and had asked if he could celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection over the radio.
However, NASA were wary after atheist activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair sued NASA for compromising the separation of church and state by reading the creation account in Genesis on the Apollo 8 trip a year ealier.
The event therefore wasn’t broadcast, except to the NASA team who could listen in.
Aldrin planned to take communion as close in time as possible to his church family back home in Houston and had been given a light silver cup by his pastor, Dean Woodruff.
He had also written John 15:5 on a piece of paper and described the moment in an article for Guideposts magazine in 1970:
“So I unstowed the elements in their flight packets. I put them and the scripture reading on the little table in front of the abort guidance system computer.
“Then I called back to Houston.
‘Houston, this is Eagle. This is the LM Pilot speaking. I would like to request a few moments of silence. I would like to invite each person listening in, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to invite each person listening, wherever and whomever he may be, to contemplate for a moment the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his own individual way.”
He continued: “In the radio blackout I opened the little…
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