Mar 27, 2008 / 11:01 am
Although it was not an official holiday, thousands of people in Peru, Argentina and Ecuador celebrated the Day of the Unborn Child on March 25.
Perú
In Lima more than two thousand people marched to the Ministry of Health building, where health officials had placed a huge sign that read, “Life is First.”
Pro-life leaders presented more than 38,000 signatures in support of law 27654, which recognizes the humanity of the unborn. The vice minister of health, Meliton Arce, accepted the signatures and publicly pledged in the name of the Ministry to respect the law, which is protected by the Constitution and by other Peruvian laws, and to refrain from issuing any norm that would affect the right to life.
In the city of Piura some two thousand young people marched through the streets led by Archbishop Jose Antonio Eguren. Before the march, the archbishop celebrated a special Mass in which he blessed dozens of pregnant women.
Archbishop Eguren, who is also president of the Peruvian bishops’ Committee on the Family, noted that the defense of life is a never-ending mission of all Peruvians. “Only a country that loves and defends life from conception to natural death will be a great country,” he said.
Argentina
The Day of the Unborn Child was celebrated in Argentina with a rosary for life at the basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Buenos Aires. In the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola a statue of St. Gianna Beretta—who gave up her life rather than risk her unborn child—was enthroned. In Neuquen, lawmakers proposed making the day an official holiday, and in Parana, the archbishop celebrated a special Mass.
Ecuador
In Guayaquil thousands marched in support of human life and pro-life leaders collected signatures against possible constitutional reforms that would legalize abortion in the country.
Sonia Maria Crespo, representative of the Family and Future Foundation said the signatures would be delivered to the Constitutional Assembly to show that “87% of the Ecuadorian people will not support a constitution that permits abortion.” She said the march was proof that “the Ecuadorian people want to defend life.”