New York: Tragedy of St Sava

St Sava: The view into the church for ten floors up 

I was in New York again, and lucky enough to be working just off Broadway and 26th, on the 10th floor I looked down on a heart-breaking sight: the burnt out church of St Sava.

On May 1 a massive fire occurred at the church, on the day Orthodox Christians were celebrating Easter, destroying most of the building.

The fire started at 6:49 p.m. and was brought under control by 8:30 p.m. by more than 170 firefighters

The stone walls of the cathedral continue to stand and have been judged to be structurally sound and not currently in danger of collapsing.

Now discussion with the City and the Church centres on whether this precious place can rise from the ashes.

I leaned out of my building’s window to make one drawing. Fearful of heights it was not my best.

The next morning early before work I made a street level drawing and was encouraged by several passing local people.

St Sava: Street level

God Bless St Sava!
Saint Sava, known as the Illuminator, he was a Serbian Prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church, the founder of Serbian law.