Saint Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center

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, MA, and a well-known Byzantine art historian.

• Foreword by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew ix Foreword by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America xi Foreword by the Friends of Saint Nicholas xii Foreword by Father Loukas of Xenophontos Monastery on Mount Athos, Iconographer of the Saint Nicholas National Shrine xiv Architectural Summary and Sketches by Santiago Calatrava, Architectof the Saint Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center xvii List of Figures xxxiv Acknowledgments xxxix 1 Introduction 1 2 The Dome 6Christ Pantokrator in the Dome 9The Prophets 14The Individual Prophets 15The Four Evangelists 37 3 The Sanctuary Imagery 44The Virgin and Child in the Summit of the Apse 47The Communion of the Apostles 53The Liturgizing Holy Hierarchs 59The Prothesis Niche: Christ as the Extreme Humility(Η ΑΚΡΑ ΤΑΠΕΙΝωϹΙϹ) 68The Diakonikon Niche: Saint John the Prodromos(The Forerunner, The Baptist) 72 4 The Christological Cycle 74The Nativity of Christ—Η ΓΕΝΝΗϹΙC ΤΟΥ Χ(ΡΙϹΤΟ)Υ 80The Baptism of Christ (Theophany)—Η ΒΑΠΤΙϹΙϹ ΤOY Χ(ΡΙϹΤΟ)Υ 86The Crucifixion of Christ—Η CΤΑΥΡωϹΙϹ ΤΟΥ Χ(ΡΙϹΤΟ)Υ 88The Resurrection of Christ—The Anastasis—Η ΑΝΑϹΤΑϹΙϹ ΤΟΥ Χ(ΡΙϹΤΟ)Υ 93The Ascension of Christ—Η ΑΝΑΛΗΨΙϹ ΤΟΥ Χ(ΡΙϹΤΟ)Υ 106The Pentecost—Η ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟCΤΗ 113Arrangement of the Christological Scenes 115 5 The Life Cycle (Vita) of Saint Nicholas 123 The Birth of Saint Nicholas—Η ΓΕΝΝΗϹΙϹ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΥ 130The Ordination of Saint Nicholas to the Episcopacy—Η ΧΕΙΡΟΤΟΝΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΥ 134Saint Nicholas Rescuing the Generals from Prison—Ο ΑΓ(ΙΟϹ) ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟϹ ΔΙΑϹωΖωΝ ΕΚ ΤΗϹ ΦΥΛΑΚΗϹΤΟΥϹ ϹΤΡΑΤΗΓΟΥϹ 136Saint Nicholas Rescues Three Innocent Men from Execution—Ο ΑΓ(ΙΟϹ) ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟϹ ΔΙΑϹωΖωΝ ΤΟΥϹ ΑΘωΟΥϹ ΕΚ ΘΑΝΑΤΟΥ 138Saint Nicholas Provides the Dowry for the Three Poor Maidens—Ο ΑΓ(ΙΟϹ) ΠΡΟΝΟωΝ ΔΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΠΡΟΙΚΑΝ ΤωΝ ΠΤωΧωΝ 142The Sea Rescue—Η ΕΚ ΘΑΛΑϹϹΗϹ ΔΙΑϹωϹΙϹ 144The Dormition (Koimesis) of Saint Nicholas—Η ΚΟΙΜΗϹΙϹ ΤΟΥΑΓΙΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΥ 147The Significance of the Saint Nicholas Cycle 149 6 The Deesis (Christ Flanked by the Virgin and Saint Nicholas) 152 7 Liturgical Furnishings within the Nave 158The Marble Templon 163The Icons on the Templon-Iconostasis 169The Icon of Christ 169The Icon of the Virgin and Child 173The Icon of Saint John the Forerunner (Prodromos) 176The Icon of Saint Nicholas 178The Icons of the Archangel Michael and the Archangel Gabriel 180The Annunciation on the Central Doors 182The Bishop’s Throne 186The Image of Christ as the Great High Priest 186Carved Relief of the Byzantine Double-Headed Eagle 189The Cantor’s Stand 191Saint Kassiane 191Saint Romanos 194Saint John of Damascus 196Saint Andrew of Crete 197The Ambo 200The Evangelist Images 202The Evangelist Symbols 206 8 The Narthex 212The Titular Icon of Saint Nicholas 215The Presentation Icon 218The Souls of the Righteous in the Hand of God 223The Proskynetaria Icons 225The Icon of the Virgin and Child 225Saint Nicholas 228The Icon of Saint Alexander, Patriarch of Constantinople 228 Bibliography 233Index 250