Trinity Chapel Complex

The Trinity Chapel Complex, now better known as the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava (Serbian: Црква светог Саве, romanized: Crkva svetog Save) is a historic Eastern Orthodox church at 15 West 25th Street between Broadway and the Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.

The church building was constructed in 1850–55 and was designed by architect Richard Upjohn in English Gothic Revival style.

In June 2016 reports were circulating that the city of New York ordered that the remains of the structure be demolished, stating that the walls are too unstable to be allowed to stand.

The outside is made of heavy exterior blocks of the building were etched in a rough finish, accented with austere Gothic trim and details.

The chapel was now located within the Tenderloin, the city's main entertainment and red light district, and the congregation had dwindled.

[10][11] The Byzantine, hand-carved Iconostasis, brought from the Monastery of St. Naum in Ohrid, Yugoslavia, was placed in the cathedral and blessed.

[3][10] Prior to the fire of May 1, 2016 around $4 million had been spent on renovations to the cathedral's roof, gutters, and its attached community center in the past decade.

[14] On May 1, 2016, a massive fire occurred at the church, on the day Orthodox Christians were celebrating Easter, destroying most of the building.

[20] St. Sava parishioners reunited a few blocks away the first Sunday after the fire at Gramercy Park's Episcopal Calvary-St. George's Parish Church to worship.

[23] Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić indicated that the City of New York would be asked through diplomatic channels to aid in the rebuilding of the church.

Candles that had not been properly extinguished after an Easter service were identified as a likely cause, according to a spokesperson of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).

A caretaker told fire marshals that he stowed the candles in a cardboard box under a piece of wooden furniture in a rear corner of the 161-year-old church.

[31] As of November 2019 steel I-beams for the new floor were being installed as well as framing for the windows which will be fitted with temporary acrylic panels.

The entrance to the cathedral (2011)
Bust of Nikola Tesla outside the cathedral
The cathedral after the fire. (Photo: May 3, 2016)
The cathedral in 2017
Rebuilding in 2021