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The Southampton Press - September 8, 2015

Greek Orthodox Church Head Priest
Helping To Rebuild Ground Zero Church

By Alyssa Melillo

While most buildings surrounding the World Trade Center were spared as the two towers collapsed after the September 11 attacks in 2001, a nearby house of worship did not make it through the destruction unscathed.

The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Cedar Street was destroyed when the south tower collapsed, making it just one of three buildings outside the World Trade Center complex that were either compromised or damaged in the attacks.

Today, the church is being resurrected in the form of a national shrine slated for Ground Zero’s Liberty Park, and Father Alex Karloutsos, pastor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons, is one of the religious officials in charge of the rebuilding, which began late last month in time for a visit from Pope Francis on September 25.

The new, 4,500-square-foot structure will emulate a cupola—a stark contrast from the former church, which was a tall, narrow building that stood in the shadows of the World Trade Center. The shrine will be made mostly of the same kind of pure white marble that was used to construct the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis in Greece, and it will serve everyone: Orthodox and non-Orthodox Greeks, Christians and non-Christians, believers and non-believers. It will cost approximately $35 million to construct.

The shrine will also possess some distinctive qualities: While it is subtle on the outside, its interior is modeled mostly after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, with mosaic and fresco finishes resembling that of the Chora Church, located in the same city. And at night, beneath the white marble, the shrine will glow.

“It will light up as a candle,” Father Karloutsos said. “This will be a light on the hill for everyone. Its location is very unique.”

On September 25, Father Karloutsos, who also serves as the assistant to Archbishop Demetrios of America, the highest-ranking bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in the country, will be joining the pope and the archbishop for an ecumenical service at Ground Zero as they celebrate the rebirth of the new house of worship. The pope may possibly even bless the 2-acre construction site, Father Karloutsos said.

For Father Karloutsos, being part of the rebuilding proves to be a proud accomplishment. On the day of the September 11 attacks, as an Orthodox chaplain for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, he was called into Manhattan to comfort police officers, firefighters and their families. He said he saw at firsthand how the tragic event destroyed not only St. Nicholas, but many lives as well.

Because it took a long time to bring the concept of the shrine to life–religious officials ran into a long line of red tape–Father Karloutsos said he is overjoyed to know that by Easter 2017, the date the new St. Nicholas is expected to open, there will be a place for people of all faiths to come together not only to count their blessings, but also to remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

“This was something we’ve been waiting for 14 years now, something many of us worked on,” Father Karloutsos said. “We’ll reflect on the hopelessness of the day. We believe the church will be a ray of hope for a better day and for seeking peace and justice for a better world.”

[ 27east.com
  www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/General-Interest-Southampton/121802/
  Greek-Orthodox-Church-Head-Priest-Helping-To-Rebuild-Ground-Zero-Church
  September 8, 2015 ]