ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH REBUILDING BRINGS JOY

Queens Gazette wrote about the agreement that was reached to rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

The announcement of the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church near the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, which was destroyed on 9/11 was greeted warmly by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Congressmember Joseph Crowley (D–Queens/The Bronx), state Senator Michael Gianaris (D–Astoria) and Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. (D–Astoria.

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Gianaris declared, “For more than a decade, Greek-Americans have been without our place of worship in one of the most significant locations in this country. This long-awaited deal reminds the world of New York’s emphasis on religious freedom and the value of reconstruction as we continue to remember all we lost on September 11.

“I look forward to celebrating the rebuilding of St. Nicholas with my fellow Greek- Americans and all New Yorkers. I thank the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Governor Cuomo and the Port Authority for their hard work to bring about today’s agreement.”

As a Greek-American, Gianaris added: “I was thrilled to learn that a deal has been reached to rebuild St.

Nicholas Church, an important symbol of our heritage, which was a spiritual refuge for our community for decades. I am deeply grateful to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Port Authority for coming to an agreement. I look forward to the opening of the new church, which will once again stand as an inspiring symbol of New York’s commitment to religious freedom.”

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Read the full article here.