A crucifixer upper at WTC
The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine — a historic house of worship that was destroyed on 9/11 — held a “topping out” ceremony on Monday, commemorating its reconstruction by raising a cross atop the frame of the new multimillion-dollar building.
Church officials gathered with parishioners at the 130 Liberty St. construction site, where Archbishop Demetrios of America blessed the cross with holy water and water from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum pools.
While construction likely won’t be complete until the spring of 2018, Jerry Dimitriou, executive director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, said church officials wanted to top off the domed, alabaster sanctuary with a temporary cross to show New Yorkers they were one step closer to restoring the church.
“Many people walk around the World Trade Center and wonder about the structure being built and many don’t know how it was the only religious site destroyed on 9/11,” Dimitriou said. “So we thought a temporary cross would be appropriate to show people we were rebuilding.”
The cross will eventually be replaced with a permanent one.
“It’s a symbol of hope; it’s a symbol of resurrection — that we are rebuilding,” Dimitriou said. “And we hope that the when the church opens, it will be that same symbol of hope and reconciliation and understanding.”