September 2021 Saint Nicholas National Shrine Newsletter

To view entire newsletter:  https://mailchi.mp/stnicholaswtc/2021-september?e=c02d9a0f1b

Remarks of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at the September 11th Memorial and Lighting

We have gathered tonight, on this eve of September Eleventh, to pay our deepest respects and condolences to the families and friends of those who perished on that fateful day, twenty years ago. Children have grown up without parents, siblings are yet bereaved, and parents have passed on to life eternal, still gripped by the loss of sons and daughters.

Our prayers for all of these souls is the meaning of this memorial, which – in a perfect world – should have never been necessary. But here we stand, all these years later, before our monument of faith, hope and love that will never forget their names nor the meaning of their lives – the resurrected Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine.

As we pray and open our hearts to embrace those who mourn, who are blessed to receive comfort from God Himself (Matthew 5:4), we also remember those whose lives were forever changed on 9/11. So many of the first responders and construction crews, who gave so much in those early weeks and months after the tragedy, were themselves lost in later years to the disease and hardships, which were the pernicious long-term effects of the terrorist attack. May they rest in peace as well.