NEW YORK – His Eminence Archbishop issued a News Release denying that they didn’t know what happened to the $15 million dollars from St. Nicholas account as The National Herald had reported.

He announcement has as follows: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America wishes to inform the faithful that information published today in the Greek-American Newspaper Ethnikos Kirix stating that “fifteen million dollars are missing from the St. Nicholas Fund,” is completely false.

These funds are fully accounted in detail and represent monies that were disbursed during the past 16 years for various expenditures exclusively related and leading to the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine. These expenses include but are not limited to necessary and extensive legal work, which secured our rights to rebuild Saint Nicholas at Ground Zero, as well as pre-construction architectural and engineering services.

The Archdiocese is preparing to make public a comprehensive report on the rebuilding of St. Nicholas at the World Trade Center.

Furthermore, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and the Officers of the Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council are preparing material to inform the faithful responsibly and comprehensively about the facts and the true circumstances of the Archdiocese’s administrative and financial situation.