FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Date: Thursday, September 4, 1997
Contacts:
Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958, Mayor's Press Office
Mario Ruiz (212) 843-9204 or Todd Aydelotte (212) 843-8016, Rubenstein
Associates
Jere Farrah (212) 932-7364, Cathedral Press Office
The Right Reverend Richard F. Grein, Episcopal Bishop
of New York, announced today with Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, British Consul
General Jeffrey Ling and The Very Reverend Harry H. Pritchett, Jr., Dean of
the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, preliminary plans for a memorial service
for the people of New York to celebrate the life and work of Diana, Princess
of Wales.
The memorial service, which will be organized by the Diocese of New York of the Episcopal Church and its Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, with the assistance of the City of New York, will take place on Sunday, September 14, at 2:00pm in the North Meadow of Central Park.
"Diana was a Princess and a celebrity, but she was also an icon," Bishop Grein said. "Through her life we recognized the great gift of compassion. In her unique witness we saw what was real and genuine in her common touch to people on the margins of society. She effectively touched the hearts and lives of countless people. The outpouring of grief we now experience is a sign of how much we appreciate this great gift."
Dean Harry H. Pritchett said, "Princess Diana touched something deep in the human heart about care, courage, integrity and good cheer. We, as fellow members of her own Anglican tradition, grieve her loss and celebrate her contributions to the world."
"Princess Diana has touched all New Yorkers," Mayor Giuliani said. "She was a friend to the City who worked tirelessly on behalf of the neediest in New York and gave her time and good will to charities and foundations around the City. She will truly be missed. This memorial service will serve as a tribute to the beloved princess and will be an opportunity for New Yorkers to show the special place they will always hold for her in their hearts."
British Consul Jeffrey Ling said, "Diana, Princess of Wales, was a frequent visitor to New York where she had many friends. New Yorkers in the thousands have visited the British Consulate during this week of mourning to pay their own personal tributes in our Book of Condolence. The memorial service will be a further opportunity for people in this great City to pay their respects."
For more information, or visit the British Consulate's page.