Orthodox plan to March for Life

I'm delighted to see the effort to mobilize the faithful is continuing to grow. I wish it were a bit more pan-Orthodox, but other groups do show up. Seminarians from Christ the Saviour will be going as will laypeople from multiple jurisdictions, but a unified, Episcopal Assembly backed, effort would be ideal. Hopefully this is something that will be discussed by the Committee for Church and Society sometime soon.

---

WASHINGTON, DC (OCA) - His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, will once again lead Orthodox Christian faithful at the annual March for Life here on Monday, January 24, 2011.

Joining Metropolitan Jonah will be His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; His Grace, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey; His Grace, Bishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania; Archimandrite Matthias, Bishop-Elect of Chicago and the Midwest; students from Saint Tikhon's Seminary, South Canaan, PA and Saint Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood, NY; and hundreds of Orthodox Christian clergy and faithful from through the region and beyond.

On the morning of the March, Metropolitan Jonah will preside at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the cathedral at 8:00 a.m. Thereafter, marchers are asked to gather by 12:30 p.m. under the "Orthodox Christians for Life" banner to the left of the stage at the Ellipse, between the Washington Monument and the national Mall. Metropolitan Jonah will be one of several speakers to address the public at the pre-March program. Archpriest John Kowalczyk, a pro-life activist involved in the March for Life for over 25 years, will deliver the final benediction at the formal program prior to the March.

At the conclusion of the March, Metropolitan Jonah and the hierarchs will offer prayers for the victims of abortion.

On Sunday, January 23, the eve of the March, the faithful are invited to join Metropolitan Jonah for Vespers at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, 3500 Massachusetts Ave. NW, at 6:00 p.m. A reception will follow.

Following the March, Metropolitan Jonah will attend the annual Rose Dinner at DC's Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Additional details and general information on the March may be found at www.marchforlife.org.