25 years later: 9/11 Chaplain’s Sainthood Push Continues

Father Mychal Judge, a beloved Franciscan friar and chaplain for the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), became an enduring symbol of selflessness during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

A a member of the Holy Name Province based in New York City, Father Mychal worked tirelessly with homeless people and AIDS patients. A recovering alcoholic himself, he also devoted much of his time to helping recovering addicts. However, the role for which he is best remembered is chaplain to the New York City Fire Department.

When the World Trade Center was struck, Father Judge did not hesitate. He immediately rushed from his Manhattan friary straight into the heart of the chaos at the North Tower lobby, determined to stand by his firefighters.

Inside the tower, he ministered to the wounded, offered comfort to terrified first responders, and administered last rites to the dying. Tragically, when the South Tower collapsed, flying debris struck and killed Father Judge while he was actively praying for a fallen firefighter. He was officially designated as Victim 0001, making him the first recorded fatality of the 9/11 attacks.

An iconic photograph capturing emergency workers carrying his dust-covered body from the rubble quickly shook the world. A quarter-century after his death, the title “Saint of 9/11” has evolved from an affectionate nickname into a formal, grassroots movement for canonization in the Roman Catholic Church.