Difference between revisions of "St. Sava Cathedral (New York, New York)"

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In the 1960s, many changes to the building were made in order to make the space more in line with an Orthodox Church.  An iconostasis from the Monastery of St. Naum in Ohrid, Yugoslavia was installed and blessed in 1962.  The parish hall floors were reinforced.  After a nearby explosion, the stained glass alter windows shattered to bits, and new ones, in a more Byzantine style, were installed.
 
In the 1960s, many changes to the building were made in order to make the space more in line with an Orthodox Church.  An iconostasis from the Monastery of St. Naum in Ohrid, Yugoslavia was installed and blessed in 1962.  The parish hall floors were reinforced.  After a nearby explosion, the stained glass alter windows shattered to bits, and new ones, in a more Byzantine style, were installed.
  
Among the clergy who were involved with the life of St. Sava Cathedral were Very Rev. Shoukletovich, Very Rev. Dusan Klipa, future Bishop [[Fermilian (Ocokoljich) of Midwestern America| Firmilijan (Ocokoljic), and Fr. Nikolai Velimirović.
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Among the clergy who were involved with the life of St. Sava Cathedral were Very Rev. Shoukletovich, Very Rev. Dusan Klipa, future Bishop [[Fermilian (Ocokoljich) of Midwestern America| Firmilijan (Ocokoljic), and Fr. Nikolai Velimirović.
  
 
In 1991, building conservator William Stivale prepared a master plan for the grouping which identified critical structural needs and presented a phased work program totaling almost $6,000,000 at that time. Over the past two decades, the Church has raised millions of dollars in grants and donations from its congregants and has borrowed a total of $725,000 in loans from the Historic Properties Fund to implement this plan.
 
In 1991, building conservator William Stivale prepared a master plan for the grouping which identified critical structural needs and presented a phased work program totaling almost $6,000,000 at that time. Over the past two decades, the Church has raised millions of dollars in grants and donations from its congregants and has borrowed a total of $725,000 in loans from the Historic Properties Fund to implement this plan.
 
 
  
 
==Holy Trinity Chapel Church==
 
==Holy Trinity Chapel Church==

Revision as of 06:15, May 2, 2016

St. Sava Cathedral in New York City is a Cathedral parish of the Diocese of Eastern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America. The parish began to organize in the late 1930s, and was officially recognized as a parish in 1940. In 1943, the parish purchased the historic Holy Trinity Chapel, a sattelite parish of New York's Holy Trinity (Episcopal) Church, from the Episcopalian Church, becoming the first Serbian Orthodox Church on the East Coast of the United States. The Holy Trinity Chapel building, built in 1855, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In January 1865, it became the first location of the service of an Orthodox Divine Liturgy in an Episcopal Church building. On May 1, 2016, after the celebration of all Pascha services, a fire broke out in the building, completely destroying the church.

History

Although a Serbian Benevolent Society existed in New York City as early as 1896. It was in the offices of this Benevolent Society that the first Serbian Orthodox services were held. In 1940, an official Serbian Orthodox parish was organized, and they bought a piece of land with a fire-damaged building on it with the aim to repair the building and transform it into a church. Owing to ongoing good relations between the New York City Orthodox and Episcopalian Churches in New York city, the Episcopalian Bishop, William Manning, allowed the Serbian parish to use space in the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine on 116th Street. In 1942, the Episcopal Church decided to sell a church by the name of Holy Trinity Chapel, whose members had primarily moved north, due to the increasing commercialization of the area. The Episcopal Church offered Holy Trinity Chapel for sale to Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Serbian Orthodox congregations. Although it seems that all three had interest in the property, this church building was sold to the Serbian Orthodox congregation due, in large part, to the following factors: The Serbians had no church of their own in New York City; the project had the support of King Paul II of Yugoslavia; the future St. (Nikolai Velimirovic) was on very good terms with the Anglican Church in England as well as very close connections to Bishop Manning and Canon Edward West.

The completion of the sale of the church occurred in 1944, and on June 11 of that year, St. Sava was consecrated. As the church grew, various groups were formed for the spiritual, cultural, and educational needs of the parishioners. After the conclusion of World War II, many new Serbian immigrants came to the United States and New York City, and St. Sava became a major point for them to connect with their spiritual and cultural heritage.

In the 1960s, many changes to the building were made in order to make the space more in line with an Orthodox Church. An iconostasis from the Monastery of St. Naum in Ohrid, Yugoslavia was installed and blessed in 1962. The parish hall floors were reinforced. After a nearby explosion, the stained glass alter windows shattered to bits, and new ones, in a more Byzantine style, were installed.

Among the clergy who were involved with the life of St. Sava Cathedral were Very Rev. Shoukletovich, Very Rev. Dusan Klipa, future Bishop [[Fermilian (Ocokoljich) of Midwestern America| Firmilijan (Ocokoljic), and Fr. Nikolai Velimirović.

In 1991, building conservator William Stivale prepared a master plan for the grouping which identified critical structural needs and presented a phased work program totaling almost $6,000,000 at that time. Over the past two decades, the Church has raised millions of dollars in grants and donations from its congregants and has borrowed a total of $725,000 in loans from the Historic Properties Fund to implement this plan.

Holy Trinity Chapel Church

Holy Trinity Chapel was originally a satellite church of the famed Holy Trinity (Episcopal) Church. The building was designed by the well-known architect Richard Upjohn in a Gothic Revival style. Edith Wharton, the author, was married here and immortalized the church and her time in her book "The Age of Innocence". The parish house, also with the property, is the only remaining building in New York of architect Jacob Mould. Despite alterations to the original building, St. Sava was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.


2016 Fire

On Pascha Sunday, May 1, 2016, a fire was seen burning in St. Sava Cathedral. The blaze was enormous, and over 170 firefighters were dispatched to the scene to battle the fire. It remains unclear if any of the building can be saved.

Sources