Joachim of Amissos

A celebration of this luminous jewel of a church, which serves as a memorial to all those who tragically lost their lives on 9/11 and provides a place of quiet reflection open to all.

The original Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was founded in 1892 and sat at the foot of the World Trade Center in New York City. Tragically, the church was completely destroyed in the collapse of Tower Two during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Determined to rebuild, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese selected world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava to re-create the church near the original site. Using marble from the same quarries as the Parthenon, Calatrava developed his plan from a wealth of Byzantine precedents for the church’s structure, including the famous Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

The Shrine’s iconographic program was created by Bishop Joachim of Amissos (John A. Cotsonis) and brought to realization by the celebrated iconographer Father Loukas of the Monastery of Xenophontos on Mount Athos. It is the only church in the United States whose complete iconography is painted by an Athonite monk. This luxurious volume, rich with stunning photography, is a comprehensive overview of the history, construction, and iconography of the Shrine.

Bishop Joachim of Amissos (John A. Cotsonis) is director of the Archbishop Iakovos Library and Learning Resource Center at Hellenic College Holy Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and a well-known Byzantine art historian.