Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and all Ukraine is on a visit to the United States. He shared this information on his Facebook page
”My first visit to the United States of
America as the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has begun," the
Metropolitan said.
Metropolitan Epifaniy informed that he
and the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate arrived in New York,
where they started their visit with a special place - the Church of St.
Nicholas of the American Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,
which is located on the territory of the World Trade Center in
Manhattan.
According to him, today the temple is
still under construction, the previous temple of the same name was
destroyed in the terrible terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, when
the South and North towers of the world trade center were attacked by
terrorists.
The Metropolitan stressed that this
Church is the only building that was not part of the original world
trade center complex and that was completely destroyed in the attacks.
As the head of the OCU noted, although
there was still a lot of work ahead, the temple resembles the Cathedral
of St. Sophia of Constantinople, which was inspired by the architect of
the project Santiago Calatrava.
"Located in Liberty Park overlooking the
September 11 National Memorial and Museum, the Church of St. Nicholas
is like a window into eternity, where those who died here innocently and
unjustly departed. In the middle of one of the most powerful and
dynamic cities in the world, the temple is a good haven for
strengthening the spirit and sincere prayer for the victims of the
terrorist attack-it is officially established that more than 3,000
people died, including 12 Ukrainians. The names of the victims are
immortalized in the memory of the whole country and inscribed on
memorial plaques of grief, which are exhibited in Lower Manhattan,” said
the First Hierarch of the OCU.
He also added that together with the
delegation he visited the Memorial complex and Museum dedicated to the
victims of the September 11 tragedy.
It is planned that on October 19 in New
York the Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine will receive an award -
"Athenagoras Human Rights Award".