Catholic memorial opens near Ground Zero

May 23, 2005 / 22:00 pm

A beloved chapel, located just 200 yards from the World Trade Center Site, was finally restored and blessed Sunday by Edward Cardinal Egan.

Saint Joseph's Chapel includes a new memorial to the people who died and suffered in the September 11 attacks. While the chapel was greatly damaged by the attacks, it also became a refuge for exhausted recovery workers.

Hundreds of Catholics gathered in lower Manhattan to join the cardinal in the ceremony.

"These were days of extraordinary courage, self-sacrifice and prayer," recalled Cardinal Egan. He said the memorial affirms the presence of God in a place that has tested the faith of many.

The chapel is open to visitors of all faiths who are seeking a place of quiet reflection at ground zero. It features several bronze statues, including Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, and Saint Joseph, the patron saint of construction workers.