LAST UPDATED 14:29
The apostolic visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States continues in New York, following the conclusion of his meetings in Washington, D.C.
After his arrival, Ecumenical Patriarch visited the National Shrine of Saint Nicholas, next to “Ground Zero”, where he was welcomed by dozens of young children holding flags with the emblem of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The original St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was the only house of worship destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attacks, and its reconstruction now serves as both a functioning church and a national memorial–a beacon of faith and resilience in the heart of New York City.
His All-Holiness laid a wreath in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, at the special monument created next to the central door of the beautiful marble Church.
Upon his entry, he was warmly greeted by the former Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence. Subsequently, the Patriarch presided over the doxology, in the presence of Hierarchs, clergy and many believers.
Afterwards, the Hierarchical Superior Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas and Archbishop of America welcomed Patriarch Bartholomew with words of reverence to the Church of Saint Nicholas.
The Ecumenical Patriarch responded, speaking in Greek and English, and offered commemorative gifts to the Church and to Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas.
In his address, he referenced the “enduring” mission of the Saint Nicholas Shrine, noting that the large number of faithful and visitors who find solace there shows that, from the Bosporus to the Hudson River, “we are all citizens…of one land that is the home of us all.”
Recounting the Ecumenical Patriarch’s 2021 wish that the “miracle-working hand” of Saint Nicholas grant the community “health, prosperity, and every spiritual lesson,” Archbishop Elpidophoros of America shared that this prayer has indeed come to fruition.
“We have seen the shrine become an integral thematic element here, at Ground Zero, and become a place of pilgrimage for the many thousands that flock to this historic place for their own consolation,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said.
Meeting with Secretary-General of UN António Guterres
Following the service at Saint Nicholas, the Ecumenical Patriarch traveled to the United Nations headquarters, where he met with Secretary-General António Guterres.
The Secretary-General warmly welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch, and they discussed matters of common concern, including initiatives for dialogue among peoples, religions, and cultures.
Also present at the meeting were Archbishop Elpidophoros of America; Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea; Metropolitan Maximos of Silivria; the Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios; and the Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne, Father Alexander Karloutsos.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
