NEW YORK – On the 21st dark anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine was spectacularly illuminated, the first time on September 11, to pay tribute to the almost three thousand victims on that terrible day.

Michael Psaros Speaks about St. Nicholas Shrine on Fox News

With a picture of the late Fr. John Romas, pastor of St. Nicholas at the World Trade Center on September 11, 201, holding a cross that survived, Rachel Campos-Duffy began her interview with Michael Psaros that was broadcast by Fox News Sunday morning, marking the dark 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Campos-Duffy began the segment by noting, “this cross was one of the few things left behind when St. Nicholas church was decimated in the September 11th attacks,” but “the church vowed to rebuild.” She spoke to Michael Psaros, Chairman of the organization Friends of St. Nicholas.

“Michael, it is so great to have you here,” she said. “Tell me – obviously faith was so important in the days after. Not having the church there was probably traumatic for a lot of people. How important was it for you to have it built and consecrated – much the way America wanted to rebuild the towers.”

Psaros said, “Rachel, thank you on behalf of the St. Nicholas Shrine and national church for having us on Fox national TV. We consecrated the church on July 4th for a very important reason. The St. Nicholas National Shrine celebrates the American values of religious freedom and stands as a defiant symbol against the forces of religious intolerance around the world. On that horrific day, 21 years ago, when all of Ground Zero was destroyed, a small Greek Orthodox Church was destroyed along with it. That destruction was caused by an act of religious fanaticism and hatred. In response we have built not just a church, but New York’s only national shrine. And it was built as a symbol of peace and love in response to the act of violence and hatred.”

Psaros continued, “we are so proud! We are going to open on November 1 and the national Shrine is open to people of all faith, of all nationalities, and I invite America and the world on our behalf to please come visit after November 1.”

“It is beautiful. We can see it right here,” Campos-Duffy as she looked out the window onto the site. She declared, “and I will tell you I can’t think of a better symbol, a better church to be right there, next to the Freedom Tower, that celebrates and stands for religious liberty… I’m going to be there.”

Psaros concluded the interview by noting that “the National Shrine is also a symbol of the Resurrection over death, of good over evil, or light over darkness, of peace and love over hatred.”