New York, NY – by Catherine Tsounis
September 11th, 2022, is the 21st Anniversary when the worse attack on American soil took place since Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941. A generation of Americans have been born who did not experience that catastrophic day in 2001. Two World Trade Center buildings collapsed in New York City. The 9/11 terrorist attacks caused more law enforcement line of duty deaths than any other single incident in American history. Seventy-one officers were killed. Many have died from illnesses contracted working at the site.
On Sunday morning at the World Trade Center, family members, friends and representatives of the NY Fire Department, NYPD and Port Authority read the names of all 2,983 victims aloud. Four moments of silence were observed to commemorate the times when each plane hit and each tower. At One World Trade Center NYC, a single skyscraper, the tallest in Western hemisphere replace the Twin Towers. The National 9/11 Memorial man made waterfalls with names of victims etched in granite, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Tribute of Light at sunset are some of the events.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church located at 155 Cedar Street was destroyed on 9/11 when the South Tower of the world trade Center collapsed. It was the only building not part of the world Trade center that was destroyed. On November 2, 2021, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, officially blessed in a Thyranixia ceremony the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, blessing the few sacred relics saved from the original St. Nicholas Church. His Eminence, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America consecrated St. Nicholas Church on July 4th. A grand opening is planned for November 1st.
