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[[Image:World Trade Center January 1975.jpg|right|thumb|250px|St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church looking north toward World Trade Center. Taken from Cedar Street, 1975.]]
'''St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church''' is a parish of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] in New York City, which stood at 155 Cedar Street in the City’s financial district, across from the [[w:South Tower|South Tower]] of the [[w:World Trade Center|World Trade Center]]. The church was completely destroyed in the [[w:September 11, 2001, attacks|September 11, 2001 attacks]] when the South Tower collapsed.<ref name="google1"> [http://books.google.com/books?id=8RFYzm0NwEIC&pg=PA16&dq=%22St.+Nicholas+Greek+Orthodox+Church%22+%22new+york%22&hl=en&ei=wfxZTIbpAYP-8Abd0omcCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22St.%20Nicholas%20Greek%20Orthodox%20Church%22%20%22new%20york%22&f=false Greek Orthodox Parishes Of New York State – A Photo Tour]. Lulu.com. pp.16-23.</ref> It was the only non-WTC building to be immediately destroyed by the attacks.
During the [[Vespers]] service that was held on December 5, 2010, [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Archbishop Demetrios]] said that the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|Greek Orthodox Archdiocese]] would do anything to rebuild the church.
On [[February 14]], 2011, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America filed a $20 million law suit against the [[w:Port Authority|Port Authority]] pursuant to [http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/42/1983.html Section 1983] of the Civil Rights Act ([[w:Title 42 of the United States Code|42 U.S.C.]] § 1983),<ref>Justia Federal District Court Filings & Dockets: Civil Rights Cases filed in the New York Southern District Court. [http://dockets.justia.com/docket/new-york/nysdce/1:2011cv00985/375176/ The Hellenic Eastern Orthodox Church Of Saint Nicholas Of The Downtown Part Of The City Of New York et al v. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey et al]. Filed: February 14, 2011. Case Number: 1:2011cv00985.</ref> requesting a grand jury trial for not rebuilding the church.<ref>[http://usa.greekreporter.com/2011/02/14/st-nicholas-greek-orthodox-archdiocese-of-america-file-lawsuit-against-ny-and-nj-port-authority/ St. Nicholas & Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America File Lawsuit Against NY and NJ Port Authority]. ''Greek Reporter USA.'' 14 February 2011.</ref><ref group="note"> "The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church filed a $20 million lawsuit against the Port Authority and other agencies in Manhattan Federal Court yesterday for blocking the rebuilding of the tiny house of worship after it was destroyed on 9/11. The suit accuses the Port Authority of "arrogance, bad faith, and fraudulent conduct" and asks a judge to enforce an earlier agreement that church officials say the PA reneged on."<br>:* Scott Shifrel. ''Church sues PA for $20M.'' [[w:Daily News (New York)|Daily News (New York)]]. February 15, 2011.</ref>
===Final Agreement===
On [[October 14]], 2011, ten years after the church was destroyed, an agreement for the reconstruction of the church was signed that ended all legal action, marking a major win for the tiny church:
<blockquote>"On Friday, after a combined feat of political arm-twisting and reverse engineering, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo; Archbishop Demetrios, the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; and Christopher O. Ward, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, announced that the new church would be constructed at Liberty and Greenwich Streets, exactly where it was envisioned three years ago, but on a plot of 4,100 square feet, about two-thirds the size of the site in the earlier plan.<ref name=NYTIMES2011>David W. Dunlap. ''[http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/14/way-is-cleared-to-rebuild-greek-orthodox-church-lost-on-911/?scp=1&sq=st.%20nicholas&st=cse Way Is Cleared to Rebuild Greek Orthodox Church Lost on 9/11].'' NY Times. October 14, 2011, 2:21 pm.</ref></blockquote>
The new church will rebuild on Port Authority land,<ref>''[http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/14/deal-struck-to-rebuild-st-nicholas-greek-church-near-wtc-site/ Deal Struck To Rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Church Near WTC Site].'' CBC Local Media (CBS New York). October 14, 2011 4:00 PM.</ref> and will be constructed on a platform above a spiral ramp to an underground parking area. It will also include a nondenominational bereavement center adjacent to it. The Port Authority estimates that it will spend about $25 million to construct the platform on which St. Nicholas will sit and provide the necessary utility hookups.<ref name="NYTIMES2011"/> The church will pay for anything built above ground.<ref name=ENI>Kevin Eckstrom. ''[http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=5227 Greek Orthodox church will rebuild at Ground Zero].'' ENInews/RNS. 19 October 2011.</ref>
<blockquote>"Father Arey said it was too early to predict whether St. Nicholas would have a dome. “It will look like an Orthodox church,” he said, “while the emphasis will be to be spiritually and contextually harmonious with the neighborhood.” Speaking of the 2001 attack, Father Arey said: “It wasn’t just an act of terrorism. It was an act of religious hatred at some level. Rebuilding the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11 is important for the psyche and the soul of the nation.”"<ref name="NYTIMES2011"/></blockquote>
Archbishop Demetrios said that "our pledge is to be a witness for all New Yorkers, that freedom of conscience and the fundamental human right of free religious expression will always shine forth in the resurrected St. Nicholas Church."<ref name="ENI"/>
==Notes==
<references group="note" />
== References ==
'''Court Case'''
* Justia Federal District Court Filings & Dockets: Civil Rights Cases filed in the New York Southern District Court. [http://dockets.justia.com/docket/new-york/nysdce/1:2011cv00985/375176/ The Hellenic Eastern Orthodox Church Of Saint Nicholas Of The Downtown Part Of The City Of New York et al v. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey et al]. Filed: February 14, 2011. Case Number: 1:2011cv00985
* Scott Shifrel. ''Church sues PA for $20M.'' [[w:Daily News (New York)|Daily News (New York)]]. February 15, 2011.
* ''Orthodox church sues over temple destroyed on 9/11.'' The Associated Press State & Local Wire. February 15, 2011 Tuesday 1:18 AM GMT.
'''Agreement'''
* David W. Dunlap. ''[http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/14/way-is-cleared-to-rebuild-greek-orthodox-church-lost-on-911/?scp=1&sq=st.%20nicholas&st=cse Way Is Cleared to Rebuild Greek Orthodox Church Lost on 9/11].'' NY Times. October 14, 2011, 2:21 pm.
* Kevin Eckstrom. ''[http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=5227 Greek Orthodox church will rebuild at Ground Zero].'' ENInews/RNS. 19 October 2011.
* ''[http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/14/deal-struck-to-rebuild-st-nicholas-greek-church-near-wtc-site/ Deal Struck To Rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Church Near WTC Site].'' CBC Local Media (CBS New York). October 14, 2011 4:00 PM.
* ''[http://bilirakis.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4207&Itemid=115 Hellenic Caucus Co-Chairs Applaud Agreement to Rebuild St. Nicholas Church].'' Congressman Gus Bilirakis - 2011 Press Releases. October 14, 2011.
[[Category:Churches|Nicholas]][[Category:USA Churches|Nicholas]]
