St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Encyclopedia
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church stood across Liberty Street from the South Tower of the World Trade Center
in New York City, USA. It was completely destroyed in the September 11, 2001, attacks when the South Tower collapsed. It was the only non-WTC building to be immediately destroyed by the attacks, although the Deutsche Bank Building
and Fiterman Hall were deconstructed due to severe damage.
immigrants started the congregation of St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. In 1919, five families raised $25,000 to buy the tavern and converted it into a church, and started to hold worship services in 1922. The church building was only 22 feet (6.7 m) wide, 56 feet (17.1 m) long, and 35 feet (10.7 m) tall and was easily dwarfed by the 110 story Twin Towers, which were completed in 1972 and 1973. Despite its small size and unusual location (all the adjacent buildings had been demolished, making the church abound on three sides by a parking lot), before the attacks the church had a dedicated congregation of about 70 families led by Father John Romas. On Wednesdays, the building was opened to the public and many people, including office workers from the towers and non-Greek Orthodox, would enter the quiet worship space for contemplation and prayer.
Among the church's most valuable physical possessions were some of the relics (remains) of St Nicholas, St Catherine
, and St Sava, which had been donated to the church by Nicholas II
, the last czar of Russia. These relics were removed from their safe on holy days for veneration
; they were never recovered after the attack.
. No one was inside when the church was destroyed. Very little of its content was ever recovered. Among what was eventually found were the damaged icons of St. Dionysios of Zakynthos and Zoodochos Pege and a handful of miscellaneous religious items.
A report in a Greek-Orthodox newspaper said that before the South Tower collapsed, part of the airplane's landing gear was seen resting atop the church. Also, body parts were spotted on and around the church before the collapse of the tower, presumably the remains of those who had jumped or fallen from the towers.
The congregation members and Father Romas have temporarily relocated to St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn
.
On July 23, 2008, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
reached a deal with the leaders of the church for the Port Authority to acquire the 1200 square feet (111.5 m²) lot that the church had occupied for $20 million. $10 million is coming from the Port Authority and $10 million is coming from JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The Port Authority and the church announced a deal in July 2008 under which the Port Authority would grant land and up to $20 million to help rebuild it in a new location – in addition, the authority was willing to pay up to $40 million to construct a bomb-proof platform underneath.
In March 2009, the Port Authority stated it quit talking with the church and canceled building St. Nicholas altogether. The Port Authority claimed that the church was asking for too much, and that they might delay the whole World Trade Center project. The Archdioceses says that they just wanted the church back, and a third of the building would be a memorial for 9-11, and a place where people of all faiths could pray and remember those who died in the attacks.
In July 2010, George Demos
, a former SEC attorney and Republican Congressional candidate, first brought the failure to rebuild St. Nicholas Church into the national debate. Demos claims Executive Director of the Port Authority, Chris Ward, has not made the rebuilding of St. Nicholas a top priority. On August 16, 2010, Demos launched a petition on his website calling on the Port Authority to rebuild the church, calling the Port Authority "disingenuous and disrespectful". On August 23, 2010, former New York
Governor George Pataki
joined George Demos at a press conference to call on the Port Authority to reopen talk with officials from the Church.
During the vespers service that was held on December 5, 2010, Archbishop Demetrios said the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
would do anything to rebuild the church. On February 14, 2011, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America filed a law suit against the Port Authority
for not rebuilding the church. On October 14, 2011, an agreement for the reconstruction of the church was signed that ended all legal action. The new church will be constructed at the intersection of Liberty and Greenwich Streets, on a platform above a spiral ramp to an underground parking area. The site for the new church is east of the original site at 155 Cedar Street.
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
in New York City, USA. It was completely destroyed in the September 11, 2001, attacks when the South Tower collapsed. It was the only non-WTC building to be immediately destroyed by the attacks, although the Deutsche Bank Building
Deutsche Bank Building
The Deutsche Bank Building was a skyscraper at 130 Liberty Street in New York City, United States, adjacent to the World Trade Center . Opened in 1974 as Bankers Trust Plaza, the building was acquired by Deutsche Bank when it acquired Bankers Trust in 1998. It was part of the skyline of Lower...
and Fiterman Hall were deconstructed due to severe damage.
History
The building that came to house the church was built around 1832. It was originally a private dwelling was later turned into a tavern. In 1916, Greek AmericanGreek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
immigrants started the congregation of St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. In 1919, five families raised $25,000 to buy the tavern and converted it into a church, and started to hold worship services in 1922. The church building was only 22 feet (6.7 m) wide, 56 feet (17.1 m) long, and 35 feet (10.7 m) tall and was easily dwarfed by the 110 story Twin Towers, which were completed in 1972 and 1973. Despite its small size and unusual location (all the adjacent buildings had been demolished, making the church abound on three sides by a parking lot), before the attacks the church had a dedicated congregation of about 70 families led by Father John Romas. On Wednesdays, the building was opened to the public and many people, including office workers from the towers and non-Greek Orthodox, would enter the quiet worship space for contemplation and prayer.
Among the church's most valuable physical possessions were some of the relics (remains) of St Nicholas, St Catherine
Catherine of Alexandria
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius...
, and St Sava, which had been donated to the church by Nicholas II
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
, the last czar of Russia. These relics were removed from their safe on holy days for veneration
Veneration
Veneration , or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a saint: an angel, or a dead person who has been identified by a church committee as singular in the traditions of the religion. It is practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Catholic Churches...
; they were never recovered after the attack.
September 11, 2001
The building was completely buried by the collapse of the South Tower of the WTCWTC
WTC is an initialism which may stand for:*World Trade Center in New York, a seven-building complex in Lower Manhattan that was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks**World Trade Center a series of World Trade Centers...
. No one was inside when the church was destroyed. Very little of its content was ever recovered. Among what was eventually found were the damaged icons of St. Dionysios of Zakynthos and Zoodochos Pege and a handful of miscellaneous religious items.
A report in a Greek-Orthodox newspaper said that before the South Tower collapsed, part of the airplane's landing gear was seen resting atop the church. Also, body parts were spotted on and around the church before the collapse of the tower, presumably the remains of those who had jumped or fallen from the towers.
The congregation members and Father Romas have temporarily relocated to St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
Plans
The plans for rebuilding the World Trade Center complex include building a new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church quite close to the original location. The church will again house a worshipping congregation. A museum will also be built for the projected large influx of visitors that will come to the site.On July 23, 2008, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
reached a deal with the leaders of the church for the Port Authority to acquire the 1200 square feet (111.5 m²) lot that the church had occupied for $20 million. $10 million is coming from the Port Authority and $10 million is coming from JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The Port Authority and the church announced a deal in July 2008 under which the Port Authority would grant land and up to $20 million to help rebuild it in a new location – in addition, the authority was willing to pay up to $40 million to construct a bomb-proof platform underneath.
In March 2009, the Port Authority stated it quit talking with the church and canceled building St. Nicholas altogether. The Port Authority claimed that the church was asking for too much, and that they might delay the whole World Trade Center project. The Archdioceses says that they just wanted the church back, and a third of the building would be a memorial for 9-11, and a place where people of all faiths could pray and remember those who died in the attacks.
In July 2010, George Demos
George Demos
George Demos is a former Securities and Exchange Commission prosecutor, and a former candidate for the Republican nomination for New York's 1st congressional district in New York State's Long Island.-Early life:...
, a former SEC attorney and Republican Congressional candidate, first brought the failure to rebuild St. Nicholas Church into the national debate. Demos claims Executive Director of the Port Authority, Chris Ward, has not made the rebuilding of St. Nicholas a top priority. On August 16, 2010, Demos launched a petition on his website calling on the Port Authority to rebuild the church, calling the Port Authority "disingenuous and disrespectful". On August 23, 2010, former New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
joined George Demos at a press conference to call on the Port Authority to reopen talk with officials from the Church.
During the vespers service that was held on December 5, 2010, Archbishop Demetrios said the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquartered in New York City, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Its current primate is Archbishop Demetrios of America.-About the Archdiocese:...
would do anything to rebuild the church. On February 14, 2011, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America filed a law suit against the Port Authority
Port authority
In Canada and the United States a port authority is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority for a special-purpose district usually formed by a legislative body to operate ports and other transportation infrastructure.Port authorities are usually governed by boards or...
for not rebuilding the church. On October 14, 2011, an agreement for the reconstruction of the church was signed that ended all legal action. The new church will be constructed at the intersection of Liberty and Greenwich Streets, on a platform above a spiral ramp to an underground parking area. The site for the new church is east of the original site at 155 Cedar Street.
External links
- Website of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
- Wired New York article and forum thread on the church, including pictures