New York City, N.Y., Jun 10, 2010 / 12:02 pm
The company that operates the Empire State Building has said it will not run a lighting scheme to mark Mother Teresa’s 100th birthday, stating that it has a specific policy against honoring religious figures. In response the Catholic League cited several previous actions apparently contradicting the reported policy and announced a protest.
In a June 9 statement, Anthony E. Malkin of Malkin Holdings explained why his operating company would not light the landmark with the blue and white colors of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity on August 26, as requested by the Catholic League.
“The Empire State Building (ESB) celebrates many cultures and causes in the world community with iconic lightings, and has a tradition of lightings for the religious holidays of Easter, Eid al Fitr, Hanukah, and Christmas,” he explained.
But, Malkin qualified, “As a privately owned building, ESB has a specific policy against any other lighting for religious figures or requests by religions and religious organizations.”