Cardinal Timothy Dolan joined a host of Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, and other New York religious leaders Wednesday to remember the victims of 9/11 on the 23^rd anniversary of the attacks that killed more than 2,700 people at the World Trade Center.

Gathering at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of America of the Greek Orthodox Church presided over the solemn memorial service, conducted mostly in English with some parts in Greek.

Along with Archbishop Elpidophoros and Cardinal Dolan, clergy in attendance included Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations; Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn; Rabbi Noam E. Marans of the American Jewish Committee; and Catholic, Christian, and Muslim chaplains from the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and New York Police Department (NYPD).

Following a presentation by an NYPD color guard, guests were welcomed by Rev. Propresbyter Andreas Vithoulkas and the singing of the United States National Anthem. [The memorial service was conducted in Greek.] This was followed by a multi-faith reading of Psalm 33, by Rabbi Marans and chaplains of the FDNY and NYPD, then a moment of silence and reflection.

Cardinal Dolan was then invited to read Psalm 23, after which the psalm was sung aloud in Greek, set to Byzantine music. Psalm 23 begins, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures He makes me lie down; to still waters He leads me; He restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for the sake of His name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me.” [Psalm 23:1-4]

Rev. Propresbyter Vithoulkas then introduced Anthoula Katsimatides, sister of John Katsimatides, who died on September 11, 2001, while working for Cantor Fitzgerald in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Katsimatides described how her brother would visit the church on his way to or from work, and how close it is to where he ultimately died. “This is where they left their souls,” she said of him and the other victims.

“I believe that St. Nicholas interceded for these souls, which is why this icon is my favorite icon in this church,” she said, pointing to a representation on the low ceiling that depicts St. Nicholas guiding 9/11 victims away from Lower Manhattan and the World Trade Center toward Heaven.

“St. Nicholas isn’t just a pretty place made of marble from the Parthenon. It isn’t just a house of worship. And it isn’t just for Greek Orthodox Christians. Yes, it is a Greek Orthodox church. But St. Nicholas’ doors and arms are wide open for everyone,” she said. The church was rebuilt with marble from the same vein as that used to build the Parthenon, ancient Greece’s best-known and recognized building in Athens.

“This location downtown, which has brought me so much sadness, for so long, is now a source of happiness for me. I got married here last year, which has created new happy memories for me,” she said.

Katsimatides’ testimony was then followed by remarks from Michael Arad, designer of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. “People of all faiths are united against senseless death at the hands of terrorists, terrorists who do not see our shared humanity. People who do not see us all as fellow beings created in God’s image,” he said.

After these reflections, the FDNY and NYPD chaplains presented Archbishop Elpidophoros with a 9/11 commemorative fire helmet and police cap, respectively.

“We have gathered here today to remember, to reconnect with those we love, and those we lost on September 11. The St. Nicholas National Shrine is grateful to welcome and embrace all of you,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros in his closing remarks.

Calling the shrine “a palace of memories,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said, “My friends, this is why we come here every year on 9/11, and why we will continue to do so. This is for everlasting memory. For eternal memory. So that the world might never forget what happens when the most evil and hate-filled act is faced with courage, with unity, with dignity, and above all, with love.” The archbishop thanked the many guests for attending and concluded the service.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which was founded in 1916 by Greek immigrants, and was the only house of worship destroyed in the 9/11 attacks, although others were damaged. No one was killed in the church itself when it was crushed by the collapse of the South Tower. The new church opened fully at the end of 2022. Just across Liberty Street from the main World Trade Center area, its site on slight rise gives it a commanding view of the reflecting pools where the twin towers once stood, the rest of the World Trade Center plaza, and the Freedom Tower.