Pro-lifers gather in Washington DC for the March for Life

The March for Life rally begins at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where the president of the March for Life, Jennie Bradley Lichter, welcomes the crowd.

“Marchers, you are part of the biggest annual human rights demonstration in the world. And you are going to show the world what the pro-life movement is made of," she tells those gathered.

Bishop Irinej Dobrijevic, of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA, takes to the stage to offer a blessing for those in attendance.

“As Christ has taught us, and truly it has come to pass, and now is here, wherever two or three have gathered in his name, he will be present," he says. He adds: “Assembled as such on this very day, here in the heart of our nation, for the cause of life itself, let us heed the words of the Holy Fathers of the Church, who teach us, whenever we find ourselves confronted by personal and societal conflicts of heart and mind, emotion and intellect, to place our minds, in our hearts in order to offer just and proper prayer asking for strength to pursue justice love and mercy and to walk humbly seeking God’s assistance for fairness and truth, peace and healing. Most beloved, let us therefore bow our heads and lift up our hearts collectively and individually offering an earnest prayer for life.”

The Friends of Club 21 Choir, a chorus of young adults with Down syndrome, leads the national anthem.

Friends of Club 21 Choir, a chorus of young adults with Down syndrome, perform at the March for Life on Jan. 23, 2026. |

Ahead of March for Life, Trump vows to ‘always be a voice for the voiceless'

U.S. President Donald Trump this week said he would “always be a voice for the voiceless” and vowed to “never tire in fighting to protect the intrinsic dignity of every child, born and unborn,” delivering bold promises just ahead of the March for Life 2026. The president’s message, published on Jan. 22, came on National Sanctity of Human Life Day, an observance first declared by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and pronounced by every Republican president since then.

March for Life pre-rally concert begins

The March for Life pre-rally concert kicks off with music by Sanctus Real, a Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning Christian band.

‘The antidote to abortion is love,’ Cardinal O’Malley says ahead of March for Life

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley said life is a “precious gift from a loving God” ahead of the 2026 annual March for Life.

Cardinal O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, celebrated Mass on Jan. 23 before the March for Life, concluding the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Students From John Paul the Great University Arrive at the March for Life 

The first attendees have arrived at the March for Life. Despite the cold temperatures, these students from John Paul the Great University are looking forward to marching in support of the unborn. This is the school’s first time attending the annual march.Rebecca Brooks and her grandchildren came in for the march from Ashburn, Virginia. Brooks attended her first March for Life in 1995. 

Life Fest Kicks Off Before the March for Life

Life Fest kicked off with live music from the Sisters of Life’s band All the Living, with Father Isaiah, CFR, Damascus Worship, followed by a Eucharistic procession and Mass.

Vigil Mass with Bishop Conley

Thousands of the faithful gathered for a vigil Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington on Jan. 22 ahead of the March for Life 2026.The Mass was standing room only, with pilgrims, clergy and bishops filling the nation's largest Catholic church for the evening.

Thousands Attend March for Life Vigil Mass

More than 5,000 young Catholics gathered at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Jan. 22 to worship at a vigil Mass on the eve of the March for Life. Following Mass, which was celebrated by Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, many worshippers prayed at the National Holy Hour for Life, which was held in the crypt of the basilica during adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which included praying the Luminous Mysteries of The Holy Rosary. 

During his homily, Bishop Conley said, “Our goal is not only to make abortion illegal. Our goal is to make abortion unthinkable.”

"Our brothers and sisters in the womb are the most vulnerable and the most voiceless,” he added, noting that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has labeled the issue its preeminent priority in terms of political concerns.

Even after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Bishop Conley noted there are still over one million abortions annually. Yet, he expressed hope that the young people in front of him “are the pro-life generation” and will help bring an end to abortion in the United States.

“I firmly believe that 50 years from now when my generation will have gone to God, your grandchildren will ask you: ‘Is it true, that when you were my age, they put children to death in the womb?’” Bishop Conley said.

The shepherd of Lincoln, Nebraska was the main celebrant of the Mass, but it was concelebrated by Cardinal Robert McElroy of the Archdiocese of Washington; Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Boston; Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States; and other archbishops, bishops, and priests.

Pope Leo XIV Sends Message to 2026 March for Life 

Pope Leo XIV addressed the 2026 March for Life on Jan. 22, sending participants “warm greetings” and urging them to bring about a society that “safeguards the sanctity of human life."

The Holy Father’s message was published ahead of the March for Life being held in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23. This is set to be the 53rd year the annual pro-life observance has drawn hundreds of thousands of people to the nation’s capital.

March for Life’s Jennie Bradley Lichter: ‘A Lot of Work to Do’ Amid Political Climate

In her first year leading the March for Life, the organization’s president is reminding the pro-life movement that they “still have a lot of work to do” in the current political climate, three and a half years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

"Taking down the Roe regime of abortion-on-demand across the country was incredibly important,” Jennie Bradley Lichter, who became president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund in February 2025, told EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.

“But there are still way too many abortions happening in this country,” she said. “So that’s the No. 1 reason why we’re still marching.”

How to Watch the March for Life 2026: EWTN’s Live Coverage

With tens of thousands of pro-life Americans gathering for the 53rd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 23, EWTN will provide live coverage of the event.

Here’s how to watch.

Vice President Vance, House Speaker Johnson to speak at 2026 March for Life

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson are scheduled to speak at the 2026 March for Life Rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23.

March for Life 2026: ‘Life Is a Gift’

Thousands of pro-lifers will gather in Washington, D.C., for the 53rd annual March for Life on Friday, Jan. 23. Follow here for live updates on the march.

Thousands will gather for the 53rd National March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 23.

Festivities will kick off with a pre-rally concert at 11 a.m. ET on the National Mall. The rally at begins at noon ET and features a lineup of speakers including Vice President JD Vance.

The crowd will depart from the National Mall at 1 p.m. ET for the march and will make its way to the ending point at the U.S. Supreme Court building.