Saint Nicholas National Shrine Plans To Be Presented at Thursday Forum

Saint Nicholas National Shrine

As the only house of worship destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Saint Nicholas Church is set to be rebuilt as the Saint Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center by the end of 2016. Jerry Dimitriou, Executive Director of Administration of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, will present the plans and status of the project at the Thursday Forum on February 12, 2015. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has embarked upon a strategic capital development program to raise more than $35M for its construction, as well as for additional funding  to maintain and sustain the Shrine with an endowment of an estimated $12M.

The Executive Committee of Leadership 100, meeting on Friday, June 20, 2014, unanimously approved a special gift of $1 million toward the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, to be designated as the St. Nicholas National Shrine, according to George Tsandikos, Chairman. In addition, individual Leadership 100 members have made gifts totaling $1.5 million. “Taken together our goal is to raise several million dollars in support of what is a truly historic undertaking by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America that will commemorate the sacrifices of September 11 while making visible our Orthodox Faith and Hellenic Heritage,” said George Tsandikos.

In anticipation of the project, Governor Andrew Cuomo stated in 2011:      

"We lost St. Nicholas Church in the destruction of September 11 and for too long its future has been uncertain.  Rebuilding St. Nicholas Church, with a nondenominational bereavement center, is not just good news for the Greek Orthodox community, but for all New Yorkers. With this agreement, we are continuing New York's collective healing, restoration, and resurgence. Now we are finally returning this treasured place of reflection to where it belongs."

Designed by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, the Saint Nicholas National Shrine project has attracted the attention of the nation and the world and called upon the dedication and resources of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and Greek American Community. A Ground Blessing ceremony was led by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America and members of the Holy Eparchial Synod on October 18, 2014 at its site on Liberty Street, overlooking the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.