The attacks of September 11, 2001 may have set the United States back a bit, but it didn’t kill the spirits of those who are determined to keep moving forward. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church went down on that day, but 12 years later, members are determined to rebuild.
The new church is going to include a non-denominational bereavement center, and will be located on the grounds of the new trade center. The New York Times reports that efforts to rebuild the church has hit a series of obstacles, but people have pushed the initiative forward.
Finally, some images have been shown online on the website of architect Santiago Calatrava. The church is also expected to add to the debate over how religion should be interpreted in light of the 9/11 attacks. The church is designed to welcome all visitors from all backgrounds, but Muslims are believed to be responsible for the attacks that took place, creating a great deal of animosity toward the faith.
A mosque has been proposed to be built near the new World Trade Center, but the effort has met with protest from those who feel that it would be a slap in the face of those who died.
“If I may quote Jesus, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people,’ ” said the Rev. Mark Arey, a spokesman for the archdiocese. “It will be open to everyone: the believer, the unbeliever, the Orthodox Christian, the atheist. Whoever you are, this is a space that you can come into and find some meditative solace.”
You can read more about the church here.
