A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 38 - Tuesday, September 21st, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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St. Nicholas Holds Solemn 9/11 Memorial
NEW YORK. - It was a day of remembrance: relatives of the Greek-American victims of 9/11 held candles and flowers last Saturday afternoon, September 11, as they stood at the lower Manhattan site where thousands were killed and where St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church used to stand, at the foot of the World Trade Center Towers. A memorial service was held right there in the open air, where three years ago the tiny Greek church was crushed under the collapsing Towers in the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. The service was presided by Bishop Savvas of Troas, who was assisted by St. Nicholas’ former priest, Fr. John Romas, whose parish has now joined SS. Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Brooklyn, where he is the parish priest together with Fr. Dimitrios Kehagias. Beside Fr. Romas, Greek-American Jan Pitsikalis held a large picture of the Church—taken before the attacks—with the Twin Towers in the background. Also present were Greek Maritime attaché Michalis Sarlis, whose office is in lower Manhattan, close to the World Trade Center site; and Vice-Consul for Maritime Affairs Andreas Lelakis.
“Your feelings speak for you today, in your eyes and your tears,” Sarlis told the grieving relatives in his short speech, adding: “But the people that were lost on September 11, 2001 were heroes and heroes never die.” He later told The National Herald that the day is one of remembrance for the entire world. “No one should forget, so that we make sure such a tragedy doesn’t happen again,” Sarlis said. “Greek-Americans gave their blood and were among the innocent victims. Let’s hope that innocent blood is never again shed,” Sarlis concluded. Fr. Romas told The National Herald that St. Nicholas will be rebuilt, “not just for Greek Orthodox believers but as a monument for the whole world to visit and remember what happened on that day.” He said there has been great interest in the rebuilding of the church by many Greek-Americans from all over the country. But despite the presence of officials, the day belonged to the victims of the tragedy and their relatives. There is a total of 25 victims already verified as being either Greek Orthodox (21) or of Greek origin (1) or survived by Greek Orthodox spouses (3). Another 15 people who have appeared on official 9/11 victims lists have Greek-sounding names but have not been confirmed to be of Greek origin. Among the Greek family members present at last week’s memorial service were Vasilia Evangelou and the family of Prokopis Zois, an American Express employee who worked on the 94th floor of the North Tower, the tower that was struck first. No one above the North Tower’s point of impact escaped the building. Zois was, according to reports, among the brave employees who stayed in the burning Tower to assist his fellow workers and rescue crews. Zois had a background in psychology, having worked for TWA for 20 years. He had worked for American Express for four years before the attacks and was also teaching at Queensborough College. He is survived by both his parents, two siblings and his wife and two children, Stephania and Theofanis. Also present at last Saturday’s service was police officer Yiannis Kassimatis, Zois’ brother-in-law, who also headed a Port Authority team at the World Trade Center site on 9/11. After the completion of the service in Manhattan, New Jersey also paid tribute to its many victims on Saturday evening, with a service and concert held at St. George Church in Piscataway, and later in the Church’s community center. The service was presided by Archimandrite Alexander I. Kile and was held outside the Church in the presence of Greek-Americans holding candles, many with tears in their eyes. Speaker Ekaterini Lefteri narrated the events of the day, while messages by Archbishop Demetrios, Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey and the Piscataway Mayor were read. Singers Olga Psillou and Markos Kantillerakis sang patriotic American songs. They were followed by a classical music concert and Byzantine hymns. Inside the church, conductor Demetris Fousteris led the St. George Children’s Choir, the Hellenic Festival Orchestra and members of the Metropolitan Opera, among them soprano Helen Bitasheva Fousteris, pianist Yoyce Yang, baritone Goom-Shik Yang, violinist Raphael Klayman and pianist Yiannis Xylas.
“The concert was
beautiful and it inspired resolve in us,”
President of the World Council for Hellenes Abroad
Panos Stavrianidis told The National Herald after
the completion of the program. |
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