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Iconic NYC Church Destroyed on 9/11 Being Rebuilt 19 Years Later

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Construction on the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Lower Manhattan, New York, has resumed after the church was destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001.

The historic building is being reconstructed for both the church and the local community.

“It’s going to be a place where people can say, for the next thousand years, we will never forget what happened here,” John Catsimatidis, CEO of Gristedes Foods and a board member of The Friends of St. Nicholas, told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.

“It’s going to be good for New York. We’re going to have three million visitors a year, and it’s a place for people to come and pray.

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The Friends of St. Nicholas was formed in January of this year to help restart the project, Fox News reported.

The construction was previously delayed by mismanagement and scandal, Father Alex Karloutsos of the Greek Orthodox Church of America told “Fox & Friends.”

“This is going to be a light on the hill,” Karloutsos said.

The original church, named for the patron saint of sailors, opened in 1916 and became a stopping point for Greek immigrants after they left Ellis Island.

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The church stood for 85 years until the South Tower of the World Trade Center was destroyed.

“In 2001, it became a historical place because of now, we have 3,000 people that lost their lives — victims and heroes — and we need to have a sense of hope, we need to look to light, in the midst of all this darkness,” Karloutsos said.

He added that there will be a bereavement space for people to gather and reflect on what happened nearly 20 years ago.

“This is all about New York. This is all about America,” Karloutsos said.

Father Evagoras Constantinides, a spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, told “Fox & Friends First” that the “church is the last piece that will bring a sense of solidarity to the visitor” of the 9/11 Memorial.

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“That place of peace is coming back with the finishing and reopening of St. Nicholas next year,” he said.

Karloutsos said that the importance of “religious freedom” in America is shown through Turkey’s decision to convert the Hagia Sophia, which was first built as a Greek Orthodox Church, back into a mosque after it was a museum.

“Here in this country, religious freedoms, what we stand for as a country, the land of the free, the home of the brave, the First Amendment of the United States, glory be to God, Saint Nicholas is going to reflect the best of our Orthodox faith, but the best of America,” he said.

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Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




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