This Little Chapel Stood Up To Terrorism And Helped A Country Heal

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This Little Chapel Stood Up To Terrorism And Helped A Country Heal

Stan Honda / NYDN

Overwhelming disasters have a way of reminding us about all the small things in life that really matter, and no symbol expresses that idea better than "the little chapel that stood."

When a pair of planes struck the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, both of the skyscrapers were destroyed, along with many other huge buildings nearby. But less than 100 yards from the Twin Towers, the tiny St. Paul's chapel was miraculously unharmed.

It turns out this wasn't the first time the church had survived a major disaster. The chapel was built in 1766, 10 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. At the time, the tower at the back of the church made it the tallest building in New York City.

It was common for fires to catch in large cities at the time, and the church survived a number of deadly blazes that destroyed other buildings in Manhattan. It was even left standing after the Great Fire of 1776.

Along with its miraculous power to survive disaster, the church was known for its famous visitors. George Washington worshiped at the church on his inauguration day, and during the two years that New York was America's capital city.

But despite all that history, the church's most important moment came after the 9/11 attacks.

How did the tiny building manage to avoid the debris from 9/11? By a miracle, if you believe the building's staff.

The church was directly to the east of the World Trace Center, with the chapel's graveyard between the two sites. At the western end of the lot a large sycamore tree was standing, and this "miracle tree" must have blocked most of the debris.

Today, the roots of that tree have been turned into a bronze statue that stands outside the church. While the churchyard was covered in dust, the building itself was in perfect condition. Not a single church window was broken.

People marveled at the building's good luck, but there wasn't any time to stand around appreciating it. After the attacks, the church became a place for emergency workers to rest when they weren't working at Ground Zero.

More than 5,000 volunteers worked 12-hour days at the chapel feeding recovery workers, giving them a place to sleep, and counseling them. Massage therapists and musicians even stopped by the chapel to help them relax.

Today, the church is home to a number of interesting artifacts that represent the months after 9/11.

Last year, to mark its 250th anniversary, the church was given a retro makeover.

The new design is a throwback to the earliest days of the church, with colors and renovations inspired by its history, but the church's charitable moment in the days after 9/11 is also represented.

News about the chapel's survival made it a popular place to leave flowers, mementos and messages memorializing the disaster. The church collected more than 500 banners featuring messages from New Yorkers, and some are still on display.

The church also features a new museum about 9/11, which includes some very cool exhibits. Healing Hearts and Minds is a police uniform pinned with badges sent by the many police and fire departments from around the world who worked at Ground Zero.

The church is also decorated with banners sent from around the world, part of a work of art called The Thread Project. Even some of the church's volunteers from the months after 9/11 are still there today.

You can visit the church and hear them read the children's book The Little Chapel That Stood, based on the building's incredible story.

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