Feast of St. Nicholas (new style calender) celebrated at Ground Zero

New York, December 5, 2010

PhotoBy Rhyne Piggott, USA TODAY. PhotoBy Rhyne Piggott, USA TODAY.
Vespers, marking the Feast of Saint Nicholas, was celebrated on Sunday, December 5, 2010, at the site of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church here, despite the fact that the church -- the only house of worship destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center -- has yet to be rebuilt.

A video featuring His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, coupled with a report on the most recent delays in reconstruction of the church, appears on USA Today's web site at http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-12-06-stnick06_ST_N.htm?csp=34news . The report notes that, while construction of other components at Ground Zero is progressing, there has been no resolution between the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Port Authority on how, when or where the church will be rebuilt.

"Slow progress toward a new home halted last year when the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the Ground Zero site, broke off discussions with the church over where and how a new church would be built," USA Today reported.

Housed in an historic building, once a tavern, across the street from the World Trade Center's south tower, Saint Nicholas parish was established in 1916. Since 9/11, its members have been worshipping at neighboring parishes.

In mid-August, the Greek Archdiocese issued a statement on the rebuilding of the Church -- read it at http://www.oca.org/news/2238 -- detailing past negotiations and current status of the project.

Official website of the Orthodox Church in America

12/8/2010

See also
A Miracle of St. Nicholas A Miracle of St. Nicholas
Deacon Vladimir Vasilik A Miracle of St. Nicholas A Miracle of St. Nicholas
Deacon Vladimir Vasilik
The weather forecasts were good, and nothing indicated any trouble. Just the same, on the horizon there appeared at first a large dark cloud, which started growing rapidly. A sharp wind blew, which grew into a strong squall. A storm began. Huge waves started beating against the small ship.The ship was tossed from side to side. Water flowed into the machinery area. The ship was on the verge of stopping, and that would fatal for all. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church To Be Rebuilt At Ground Zero St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church To Be Rebuilt At Ground Zero St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church To Be Rebuilt At Ground Zero St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church To Be Rebuilt At Ground Zero
"With this agreement, we are continuing New York's collective healing, restoration, and resurgence," Cuomo said in a statement. "Now we are finally returning this treasured place of reflection to where it belongs." St. Nicholas Parishioners Revisit Ground Zero Memories St. Nicholas Parishioners Revisit Ground Zero Memories St. Nicholas Parishioners Revisit Ground Zero Memories St. Nicholas Parishioners Revisit Ground Zero Memories
On the sunny, beautiful morning of Sept. 11, 2001, John Costalas served a lot of breakfasts at his popular Essex House restaurant, where customers came early. Ten of them never came back, Port Authority workers who died in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center a short while later. “They had breakfast here. Seven o’clock in the morning,” he said, pointing to their pictures on the wall where his eatery’s walls are a shrine of former customers who’ve passed away.

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