St Paul’s Cathedral plans Covid-19 memorial as its online remembrance book marks 5,000 entries

AN interfaith virtual book of remembrance for coronavirus victims has received about 5,000 submissions since its launch last month.

St Paul’s Cathedral had set up the ‘Remember Me’ website to enable families, friends and carers to record and mourn those who have died due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Those wishing to remember loved ones can submit, free of charge, the name, photograph and a short message in honour of a deceased person via the Remember Me website.

The project received support from UK’s faith leaders, including Archbishop of Canterbury, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Chief Rabbi, the Muslim Council of Britain, the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board and a number of other Muslim leaders, and representatives from the Hindu Council UK and Sikh Council UK.

The Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Very Reverend David Ison, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge effect on everyone in our society. Those of us who are most keenly feeling the effects of this terrible disease are those who have lost loved ones.

“As our normal way of life slowly re-emerges, we are urging everyone not to forget the many thousands of people who have died and the many more who are now bereaved and grieving. We are inviting those who have lost a loved one to the Covid-19 pandemic to leave a memorial on Remember Me to remember and mourn those they have lost.”

Many families and friends have been finding new ways to grieve their loved ones and support one another. While some are leaving memorials on Remember Me, others were finding support on online forums, such as the Yellow Hearts Facebook group.

“Although the number of people dying as a result of Covid-19 is falling, the hurt that individual families are going through is just as great,” said David Gompertz of the Yellow Hearts group.

“Our loved ones are not just a statistic, and we thank St Paul’s Cathedral for recognising this, and helping to ensure they are remembered.

“We feel that anything that can be done to comfort families in this difficult time is important, and that both the ‘Yellow Hearts to Remember’ and ‘The Remember Me’ campaign complement each other very well.”

Gompertz added that many people in society looked forward to the prospect of a physical memorial at St Paul’s Cathedral for Covid-19 victims.

“There will be a day when, irrespective of belief or background, we can come together, united by loss, and celebrate the lives of those who are deeply loved and who were taken too soon by Covid-19,” he said.

Organisers of the Remember Me project said plans for a physical memorial at St Paul’s Cathedral were on, “subject to funding”.

“The Cathedral has approved designs for a new inner porch in the North transept and this would serve as a fitting memorial for all who have died as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic,” they added.