St. Nicholas National Shrine to Honor Zelenskyy at Beacon of Hope Dinner

NEW YORK — The St. Nicholas National Shrine Board of Trustees has announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be honored at the 2026 Beacon of Hope Dinner, scheduled for Sept. 26, 2026, at Casa Cipriani in New York City.

The black-tie event will feature cocktails, an award dinner, and an after-dinner reception, with organizers describing the evening as a gathering centered on faith, hope, resilience, and unity. The shrine’s board said Zelenskyy is “a most worthy recipient who illuminates the path forward in times of great challenge.” The event’s promotional materials stated, “History will be in the room."

The St. Nicholas National Shrine, located near the site of the former St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church destroyed during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, has become a prominent Orthodox Christian landmark in Lower Manhattan. The shrine’s board said the dinner will gather the community "in support of the enduring values that bring people together."

The event is scheduled to begin with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Beacon of Hope Award Dinner at 8 p.m. and an additional reception afterward.

At last year's dinner, first responders were honored in the presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. During His All-Holiness' visit to the United States, he was criticized by Greek media for a meeting with Zelenskyy in which he told the Ukrainian president, "Slava Ukraini" which means "Glory to Ukraine" in English.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Metr. Philotheos visited St. Nicholas National Shrine during his U.S. visit.