Church officials lead thousands in marching for life in Berlin

Thousands gather in the German capital of Berlin to show their support for the right to life from conception to natural death in this year's March for Life in Berlin on Sept. 24, 2016. (EWTN)

As some countries move towards the culture of killing innocent babies inside their mothers' wombs, some nations are still standing up for the right to life.

Led by Church leaders, more than 7,500 residents of Berlin, the capital of Germany, took part on Saturday in the annual March For Life. The attendees of the march, organised by the Federal Association for the Right to Life, carried one message in their posters and banners: "No child is unsuitable."

The participants of the march, who included both Roman Catholic and Protestant believers, were united in their call that the right to life should be protected from conception to natural death.

Right to Life Association President Martin Lohmann noted an increase in the number of participants in this year's march compared to last year's. He also observed that Church leaders have become more active in the demonstration, prompting him to say that the pro-life movement is "growing — and that's a good thing."

Among the Church leaders who spearheaded the event were Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg, who also celebrated the closing ecumenical Church service, Berlin's Archbishop Heiner Koch, and Auxiliary Bishops Matthias Heinrich of Berlin, Dominikus Schwaderlapp of Cologne, and Florian Wörner of Augsburg.

During the march, Archbishop Koch enjoined the demonstrators to help in every effort to ensure "that every human being can develop well, from their first moment in the womb to their final breath," according to the Catholic News Agency.

Interestingly, the March for Life coincided with a pro-abortion demonstration organised by the Alliance for Sexual Self-Determination. In contrast with the thousands of people that joined the pro-life march, the pro-abortion event only drew 1,500 participants, according to Berlin police.

The police also eventually stopped the pro-abortion event after deeming that it is blocking the peaceful event of the pro-life demonstrators.

related articles
Over 100,000 Chileans stage mass protest to oppose proposed abortion law
Over 100,000 Chileans stage mass protest to oppose proposed abortion law

Over 100,000 Chileans stage mass protest to oppose proposed abortion law

Photos of aborted babies discourage pregnant women from terminating their pregnancies, study finds
Photos of aborted babies discourage pregnant women from terminating their pregnancies, study finds

Photos of aborted babies discourage pregnant women from terminating their pregnancies, study finds

Pro-life leaders warn against growing trend of women delaying pregnancy, freezing their egg cells
Pro-life leaders warn against growing trend of women delaying pregnancy, freezing their egg cells

Pro-life leaders warn against growing trend of women delaying pregnancy, freezing their egg cells

Killing babies never a social good, should never be funded by taxpayers\' money, Church official says
Killing babies never a social good, should never be funded by taxpayers' money, Church official says

Killing babies never a social good, should never be funded by taxpayers' money, Church official says

News
CoE reaffirms commitment to safeguarding one year after Makin Report
CoE reaffirms commitment to safeguarding one year after Makin Report

It has been a year since the Makin Report, which felled Justin Welby, was published.

Wife of missing Malaysian pastor awarded millions by court over his enforced disappearance
Wife of missing Malaysian pastor awarded millions by court over his enforced disappearance

"We dedicate this struggle and judgment to Koh, a man of faith, compassion and courage, and to all victims of enforced disappearances," said Susanna Liew, the wife of Raymond Koh, a Malaysian pastor who has not been seen for over eight year.

Women are 'easy targets' for persecution in Christian-minority countries
Women are 'easy targets' for persecution in Christian-minority countries

Women and girls are easy targets for religious persecution, and their plight is often compounded when shunned by their own church communities after escaping their captors, say experts on gender-based persecution.

Major new report maps how the world engages with the Bible
Major new report maps how the world engages with the Bible

The Bible Society has unveiled a sweeping analysis of how culture, religion, politics and economics shape engagement with Scripture across the globe.