Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
New York, NY (June 27, 2023) — On Monday, June 26, 2023, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, made a historic visit to the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center in New York. Speaker McCarthy is the most senior government official to visit the St. Nicholas National Shrine since its official opening on December 6, 2022. Speaker McCarthy was given a tour of Liberty Park and the newly constructed Church.
The St. Nicholas National Shrine is a cenotaph that honors the memory of the 3,000 people who tragically lost their lives on September 11th, 2001, and stands as an eternal witness to the lives lost and a reminder of where and how they perished. The National Shrine is also a powerful symbol of America’s commitment to religious freedom and a defiant symbol of American opposition to the forces or religious intolerance around the world.
Speaker McCarthy was greeted by Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Fr. Alex Karloutsos, and Chancellor of the Archdiocesan District Fr. Elias Villis, who represented His Eminence, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America; Chairman of the Friends of Saint Nicholas, Michael Psaros; Archepiscopal Vicar of St. Nicholas Church and National Shrine Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas; president of the parish Demetri Papacostas; and Head of Capital Construction of the Port Authority of NY and NJ, Steven Plate.
The St. Nicholas National Shrine is open to the public from 11am to 3pm every day, except Tuesday, and is attracting thousands of visitors from around the world. Please visit www.stnicholaswtc.org .
3 Comments
I’m disappointed the holy cross on top of this shrine is hardly noticeable + people walking past St Nicholas Shrine ask me if it’s a mosque?
Also why isn’t there an American flag + Greek flag?
A larger cross would be nice!
Apples
The design and shape of the building is such that you have to be very far away to see the cross on top of the dome. The cross could be many times larger and you still wouldn’t be able to see it unless you were at a great distance.
As for flags.. it seems to be a big issue with the diasporists in Astoria who insist on a Greek flag, when they are not complaining about not being able to vote in elections in Greece. How much did these flag waving dual-citizens contribute to the building of this long-delayed, cost-overrun plagued vanity project of the Vicar of the Archdiocese?
One wonders why a house of worship erected on land owned by the Port Authority of NY and NJ needs any flags to inform visitors what country they are in. A quick survey of the churches in most neighborhoods around America would probably reveal that few have flags of any kind, much less of foreign countries.
When will the diasporists finally give up on trying to use the church to promote Greek language and culture in America?