St. Vladimir's Seminary - March for Life photos

(SVS) - On January 22, 2010, thirty-seven people from our seminary journeyed to Washington, D.C. to participate in the March for Life—the annual national pilgrimage marking and protesting the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States in 1973. Assistant Dean for Residential Life at St. Vladimir’s, Fr. David Meyzynski, led the seminary contingent this year.

Members of our community joined numerous other Orthodox Christians from across the country under the banner of “Orthodox Christians for Life,” in order to demonstrate against abortion and other threats to the dignity of human life—such as social movements seeking to legalize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Seminarians said they marched in honor of the more than 45 million children aborted in the U.S. since the Supreme Court decision; and in recognition of the emotional pain and physical injury experienced by many women who had undergone abortions, and the psychological damage felt by families of the unborn victims.

In preparation for this year’s march, the contingent from St Vladimir’s faced a long, early morning bus ride to the nation’s capital city, and a weather forecast that predicted a 100% chance of snow and sleet during the pro-life rally and march. None of these looming obstacles diminished the enthusiasm of the St Vladimir’s marchers, who packed warm clothes and rain gear in anticipation of a challenging trek. At it turned out, Washington D.C. was unexpectedly blessed with dry, clear weather as the marchers gathered at the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol to begin their journey.

“The weather looked like it was going to be miserable, but God shone His light on us (and His sunshine),” said Dn. Raphael Barberg, a second-year seminarian. “Let's hope the folks in the White House and on Capitol Hill listen up.”

His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), not only led the Orthodox faithful participants from around the U.S. in their march, but also, for the second consecutive year, addressed the entire crowd of marchers, estimated at well over 100,000. After greeting the multitude in the traditional Orthodox manner, “Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!,” His Beatitude said:

"As Christians, as people of faith, we have to stand not only for the right to life, but also for that infinite potential for repentance, for healing, for consolation, for transformation of our lives; and to put forth that message for those who have gone through the hell of abortion, that they can be forgiven, that they can be healed, that they can have hope again. Because it’s only out of desperation, and it’s only in despair, that a woman can take the life of her child.

So let us stand not only as people who are against abortion, but also as people who are for life. Not only as those who oppose the killing of the innocent, but as those who stand for repentance and forgiveness—because it is through that repentance that people’s lives can be changed, and healed, and brought back to normal.

As Orthodox Christians, we absolutely stand for the right to life, given to us by God, from the moment that a child is conceived, to the moment that we take our last breath. Let us give thanks to God that He has shown us this, but let us also bear this message to our fellow Americans, that this right to life given by God is something, also, that we have to uphold as citizens of this great country." [Listen to Metropolitan’s talk at the 1 hour 42 minute mark in the following c-span link here.

Several representatives of the Holy Synod of the OCA were also in attendance: His Eminence Nathaniel, archbishop of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate; His Grace Benjamin, bishop of San Francisco and the West; His Grace Tikhon, bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; His Grace Bishop Melchizedek, bishop of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania; and The Very Rev. Archpriest Michael (Dahulich), bishop-elect of the New York and New Jersey Diocese.

During the return trip to the seminary, the St. Vladimir’s group gratefully enjoyed the packed meals prepared by the parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral, the OCA community that faithfully supports the Orthodox Christian marchers annually.