Trinity Chapel Complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of St. Sava |
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| Trinity Chapel Complex | |
Church in 2011
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 Cathedral of St. Sava
Location in Lower Manhattan
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| 40°44′37″N 73°59′24″W / 40.74361°N 73.99000°W | |
| Location | 15 West 25th St. Manhattan, New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Serbian Orthodox |
| Previous denomination | Episcopal Church (United States) |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Trinity Chapel |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Temporarily closed |
| Architect(s) | sanctuary: Richard Upjohn parish school: Jacob Wrey Mould clergy house: Richard Upjohn & Richard M. Upjohn reredos & altar: Frederick Clarke Withers |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | sanctuary: 1850–55 parish school: 1860 clergy house: 1866 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America |
The Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava, also known as the Trinity Chapel Complex, is a historic Eastern Orthodox church. It is located at 15 West 25th Street in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.
The church building was constructed between 1850 and 1855. It was designed by architect Richard Upjohn in the English Gothic Revival style. It was first built as a chapel for Trinity Church. In 1942, a Serbian Orthodox group bought the building. It reopened in 1944 as the Cathedral of St. Sava.
The church complex also includes the Trinity Chapel School. This building is now the cathedral's Parish House. It was built in 1860 and designed by Jacob Wrey Mould. It is a colorful Victorian Gothic building. The Clergy House is also part of the complex. It was built in 1866 by Richard Upjohn and his son Richard M. Upjohn.
The chapel was named a New York City landmark in 1968. The whole complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Sadly, most of the church was destroyed by a large fire on May 1, 2016.
Contents
Exploring the Architecture
The outside of the church is made of heavy stone blocks. These blocks have a rough finish. They are decorated with simple Gothic designs. The front of the church faces West 25th Street. It is about 65 feet (20 meters) wide and 100 feet (30 meters) tall. Four stone supports, called buttresses, hold up the front. There are also delicate stone towers on the sides. A large rose window sits above the main entrance.
Before the fire in 2016, the church had one of the largest timber hammerbeam roofs in New York City. This type of roof is known for its strong wooden beams.
A Look at History
Trinity Chapel's Beginnings
In the mid-1800s, New York City's population was growing northward. Trinity Church, a major Episcopal church, needed a place for its members living further uptown. They decided to build a new chapel called Trinity Chapel. It was located on West 25th Street, near Union and Madison Squares.
Richard Upjohn, who designed the main Trinity Church, was chosen as the architect. He also designed many other Gothic Revival churches. This chapel was very successful and could support itself. In 1865, an Orthodox service was held here for the first time in American history. The famous writer Edith Wharton was married in this church in 1885.
Becoming St. Sava Cathedral
By 1930, the area around Madison Square had changed. Many wealthy families had moved away. The church's congregation became much smaller. In 1942, a Serbian Orthodox group bought the building. They got help from other Serbian churches. The building reopened in 1944 as a Serbian Orthodox cathedral. It was named after Saint Sava, who is the patron saint of the Serbs. Peter II, the last king of Yugoslavia, attended services here.
Over time, the church was changed to fit the Eastern Orthodox style. In 1962, a special screen called an iconostasis was added. This screen is made of hand-carved oak. It came from a monastery in Yugoslavia. The pictures, called icons, on the iconostasis were painted by a Russian artist named Ivan Meljinkov.
In 1966, a bomb went off near the church. It damaged some of the stained glass windows. New windows were made in the Byzantine style to replace them. In 1992, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle, visited St. Sava Cathedral. This was a very important event for the church community.
Outside the church, you can see statues of important people. These include Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich, who helped start the church. There is also a statue of Nikola Tesla, a famous inventor. Another statue honors Michael Pupin, a physicist of Serbian heritage.
Before the 2016 fire, about $4 million had been spent to fix the cathedral's roof and other parts. The church's ceiling was also repainted to look like a night sky.
The 2016 Fire
On May 1, 2016, a huge fire broke out at the church. This was on Easter Sunday for Orthodox Christians. The fire started around 6:49 p.m. and was controlled by 8:30 p.m. More than 170 firefighters worked to put out the blaze. Only one person had a minor injury.
Most of the building was destroyed. However, the stone walls of the cathedral are still standing. Experts have said they are strong and not likely to fall. Church leaders are looking into what parts of the building can be saved. The parish house, which is next to the church, was not damaged by the fire.
After the Fire
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The Sunday after the fire, St. Sava members gathered at another church nearby to worship. Church officials have said they plan to rebuild the cathedral at the same spot. Many people have offered support, including a letter from Patriarch Bartholomew.
Serbia's Foreign Minister, Ivica Dačić, said that New York City would be asked to help rebuild the church. He also said that the Serbian government would help. This is because the church is very important to the Serbian community in New York.
The exact cause of the fire was not known right away. Fire officials later said that candles, which were not put out completely after the Easter service, caused the fire. A caretaker had put the candles in a cardboard box under some wooden furniture.
In August 2016, the city ordered metal beams to support the walls. The building was also covered with a waterproof canvas. This was to protect it from more damage from the weather. This work was finished in September 2016.
Rebuilding the Church
In May 2018, the church filed a lawsuit against its insurance company. They asked for $47 million for the rebuilding costs. The insurance company offered $12.7 million. This amount was based on the church's purchase price in 1945 and later improvements. The church argued that this amount was not enough for today's rebuilding costs, which they estimated at $60 million. The church and the insurance company reached an agreement in April 2019. The details of the agreement were not shared.
The new roof over the main part of the church was finished in July 2019. By November 2019, new steel beams were being put in for the floor. Frames for the windows were also installed. These frames will hold temporary clear panels. A picture from March 2020 showed that the building was fully enclosed.
On February 7, 2023, the first church service since the fire was held inside the partially rebuilt cathedral. This was a big step forward for the community.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral serbia ortodoxa de San Sava para niños
- Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Eastern America
- List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets
