By Kate Quiñones, Catholic News Agency
[Washington, DC – CNA] – The 52nd National March for Life in Washington, DC — the largest annual pro-life event in the world — kicks off Friday, Jan. 24.
Every year the March for Life gathers tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers from across the United States for a day of prayer and peaceful witness.
The March for Life first began in 1974 as a response to the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Even after the decision was overturned, American pro-life advocates have continued to gather to march for the lives of unborn children as abortion continues to be legal in many states.
According to organizers, the 2025 March for Life theme “Life: Why We March” is meant to encourage pro-lifers to focus on the reason for the march — protecting unborn children and their mothers — even as pro-abortion policies crop up in various states.
Jeanne Mancini, outgoing president of the March for Life, said in a statement that she hopes the theme “can be a source of renewed energy and focus so needed for this moment.”
Many see this issue as a cause that divides, Mancini explained. “May our humble voices and peaceful presence serve as a reminder of the beauty and dignity of every human life, and as an invitation to all Americans to come together in recognition of this truth and to serve the most vulnerable.”
The March for Life will have a change in leadership this year, with longtime president Mancini stepping down and Jennie Bradley Lichter taking her place. Lichter is deputy general counsel at The Catholic University of America and served in the White House during the first Trump administration.
Speakers include:
- U.S. Vice President JD Vance, the nation’s second Catholic vice president
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Catholic who signed Florida’s historic heartbeat bill, protecting unborn children once the heartbeat can be detected
- Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer known for surviving a shark attack at the age of 13, now a mother and pro-life advocate
- Lila Rose, a Catholic who founded the pro-life nonprofit Live Action when she was 15 years old
- Josiah Presley, an abortion survivor
- Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Louisiana representative and speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Majority Leader John Thune, a U.S. senator from South Dakota and Senate majority leader
National Prayer Vigil for Life:
On Jan. 23 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops held a national prayer vigil the night before the march.
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