BISHOP IRINEJ ATTENDS 25TH ANNIVERSARY 9/11 MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH AND NATIONAL SHRINE AT GROUND ZERO

Gathering on the sacred ground, steps from the World Trade Center Memorial, attendees experienced prayer, heard the personal experiences of September 11 and learned of the resilience of St. Nicholas Church, the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11.

Attendees included New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani; His Excellency Ronald Hicks, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York; Episcopalian Bishop of New York, Matthew Heyd; His Grace Bishop Irinej of Washington-New York and Eastern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church; Consul General of Greece in New York Iphigenia Kanara; Consul General of Cyprus in New York Kyriakos Pogiatzis; Consul General of Romania in New York Mihaela-Simon Florea; interfaith leaders; public officials; first responders; survivors; family of victims; chaplains; clergy; and faithful.

Presiding over the service, Archbishop Elpidophoros called on those gathered to reject division and uphold the values the Shrine represents.

“Never again shall intolerance and hatred bring harm to this hallowed ground, nor to our city,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said. “The Saint Nicholas National Shrine stands to declare that mutual respect, dialogue, and understanding are the only way forward.”

“We could not bring back those who unjustly perished,” he said, “but we could enshrine their nobility, their heroism, their courage, and ultimately their humanity in a sacred space open to all.”

The Archbishop noted that an entire generation of Americans has now grown up after September 11, making the work of remembrance even more important.

“Our collective responsibility of being a living memory will only grow as the years go on,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said.

The memorial service began with the Presentation of Colors and the National Anthem, followed by remarks by St. Nicholas parish priest Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas, who led a moment of silence and reflection.

Among the most moving moments of the service were personal testimonies by Anthoula Katsimatides and Fr. Panteleimon Papadopoulos, who shared their experiences of September 11 and reflected on how that day shaped their lives and continues to shape the lives of New Yorkers and Americans.

Gathering beneath the magnificent dome of the National Shrine, the service reaffirmed Saint Nicholas’ enduring mission as a place of healing, reflection, and hope where the memory of those lost is preserved for generations to come. “May their Memory be Eternal.”

Source: goarch.org