|
International News Desk
Greek New Yorkers "up in arms" over failure to rebuild church on "Ground Zero" The only place of worship destroyed during the terrorist attack in New York on September 11 2001, the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas, will not be rebuilt, and is now the subject of a law suit.
In a statement by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America outlining the reasons for the lawsuit it said:
"St. Nicholas Church and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Manhattan against the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as well as other agencies and individuals, in order to foster the rebuilding at Ground Zero of the only house of worship destroyed by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001."
If the Greek church wins its case in court it could send the New York authorities "back to the drawing board" according to Reuters, in the World Trade Center rebuilding project already years behind schedule due to clashes over design, security and control.
"This case arises out of the arrogance, bad faith, and fraudulent conduct of the Port Authority, as agent for all of the agencies, in preventing St. Nicholas from rebuilding its church at Ground Zero after it was crushed by a falling tower," the Hellenic Eastern Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas and The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese said in the complaint (REUTERS)
According to the Greek Orthodox church in America going to court to find a remedy was not the preferred option but "they have been unable to do so since the Port Authority renounced a long-standing agreement with the Church to rebuild at Ground Zero, seized the Church’s land, barred the Church from access to it, and has refused to talk or meet with the Church or the Archdiocese."
The Greek Orthodox church said "this legal action has been taken not only as a last resort to restore the property and rebuilding rights of St. Nicholas Church, but also to fulfill the common vision of civil and church authorities that the Church be rebuilt as a place of prayer and meditation at Ground Zero for all people."
While the Port Authority has claimed publicly that it is currently in discussions with the Archdiocese in order to foster the rebuilding effort, in fact, in March of 2009 it summarily disavowed its agreement with the Archdiocese to rebuild St. Nicholas at 130 Liberty Street, a site chosen by the Port Authority, which is adjacent to the original location. Since that time, the Port Authority has rebuffed all efforts by the Church to work with it regarding the rebuilding.
Contrary to working cooperatively with the Archdiocese and the Parish, a posture which had prevailed between 9/11 and the Port Authority’s abrupt turnabout in March 2009, the Port Authority—without permission, notice, or any legal justification whatsoever—has sent its bulldozers onto both the land still owned by the Church at its original site at 155 Cedar Street, and the land provided to the Church at 130 Liberty Street pursuant to its agreement with the Port Authority. The Port Authority has conducted extensive excavation and other construction work that has kept the Church off of its own property, and has rendered both sites unbuildable by the Church without substantial remedial work.
The Parish and the Archdiocese hope that through this lawsuit, just and fair rulings will be made allowing for the prompt re-construction of St. Nicholas at Ground Zero, not only as a church serving its flock, but also as a greater ministry bringing peace, reconciliation and a sacred space of recollection and remembrance for all people visiting Ground Zero.
The New York Port Authority in a statement said:
"The Orthodox Church continues to have the right to build a church on their original site." photo credit: St Nicholas church
|
