Holy Diocese of Adelaide participates in Walk for Life 2025
On Saturday 8th of February, “Love Adelaide” organised its sixth annual “Walk for Life” rally, to generate community awareness to protect the unborn, at Pennington Gardens.
Around 4-5,000 people again attended the event in what has become a consistently high turnout. Among the attendees were a number of prominent pro-life public figures and government representatives. His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, representing His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, was among those present, as were a number of other Christian leaders from various other denominations, and State and Federal MPs from across the political divide.
As has been the format in previous years, the walk was preceded by a number of guest speakers. The theme this year was “Real men protect babies” – in order to try and reclaim the rightful role of men in a debate that in recent years has tried to exclude them. As has also become somewhat of a tradition for the event, the live sound of a fetal heartbeat was heard playing live over the event’s PA system, reminding all of those present what it was they were walking for.
This year there was also a concerted effort to organise a counter-protest to try and defend the so-called “right” to abortion. The attempt tried to tap into anti-Trump sentiment to rally a significant opposition with explicit goals to disrupt the peaceful demonstration of the Walkers. Yet it seems in spite of these attempts they were not able to muster more than around fifty people to attend, and there was no direct confrontation with the Walk as it proceeded along its customary route up King William Road, past Parliament House, and back across the Adelaide Oval footbridge to return to Pennington Gardens. SA Police were again very supportive, and their professionalism ensure that the event passed with no major incidents.
With the blessing, inspiration and guidance of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Holy Diocese of Adelaide has always been a strong supporter of the anti-abortion movement in South Australia. As well as having many of our faithful participate in the walk holding Orthodox icons that exemplify our attitude to the sanctity of life in the womb. This year the Diocese of Adelaide again offered behind-the-scenes logistical support to the event, as well as having a presence through Central Philoptochos hosting a food van on the site, feeding the participants and the hundreds of volunteers who helped to make the event a success. We look forward to seeing this festive, family-friendly event grow into the future and ultimately to seeing the scourge of abortion erased from our society.
