St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of New York City has filed suit today in United States Federal District Court in the Southern District of New York against Church Mutual Insurance Company of Merrill, Wisconsin for insurance contract claims arising out of the tragic fire loss that occurred on Easter Sunday May 1, 2016 at the historic 25th Street Cathedral. The Cathedral, in the lawsuit, is seeking damages arising from the property casualty insurance policy that it had with Church Mutual Insurance.

The Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava, formerly known as Trinity Chapel, (Trinity church on Downtown, Wall Street) was purchased from the Episcopal Diocese in New York in 1943 and consecrated in 1944. Trinity Chapel, built to serve the “uptown” Episcopal community and designed in 1850 by celebrated architect Richard M. Upjohn in the Gothic Revival style, was consecrated by Trinity Church (Wall Street) in 1855.

The fire loss destroyed the historic Church structure despite valiant efforts by New York City firefighting personnel to save it when fire broke out after Easter Services were completed on Sunday May 1, 2016.

The parish is represented by Attorney John Ellison of the law firm of Reed Smith of New York, New York. All media inquiries should be directed to that law office at Reed Smith LLP of 599 Lexington Avenue, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10022 or by phone at 215-241-1210.