Dear friends of March for Life UK
“Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord”.
On behalf of the Orthodox Christians of March for Life, I greet you as you mark this terrible anniversary of the introduction of the Abortion Act 56 years ago. Since that sad and lamentable day on 27th April 1968 how many countless hundreds of thousands of inestimably precious, pure and innocent human lives have been sentenced to death under this horrific piece of legislature? Any civilized society would hold those responsible for these deaths – at the political and the medical level – criminally responsible. Yet, with the passing of the Abortion Act, on the contrary, doctors who we trust to preserve life, instead are legally enabled to destroy life. Just as with the blood that flowed from the first martyr, Abel, the blood of all those martyred by the Abortion industry in their mother’s wombs in this once-Christian country cries out to God for justice (Genesis 4:10). But do we hear it? Or, will we block this sound out of our ears?
On this evening, and at this very moment, Orthodox Christians across these Isles and across the world celebrate the Vigil of Palm Sunday when Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, rode on the foal of an ass into the Holy City of Jerusalem. He Who created the world and the Universe, and before whom Cherubim and Seraphim tremble, in His love for mankind comes to us in this most humble of processions. On this sacred night we too can hear the sound of the Hebrew children who greeted our Lord, laying down Palms before Him, as they shouted: “Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord”.
In the Ikos Hymn of the Matins service of the Feast, we hear the children mystically cry aloud –
‘Hosanna to the Son of David! For no more’, say they, ‘shall the little children be slain because of Mary’s Child; but Thou alone art crucified for all, both young and old. No more shall the sword be drawn against us, for Thy side is pierced with a spear. With great rejoicing, then, we cry: Blessed art Thou that comest to call back Adam.’
Despite those cries of the Hebrew children, to this day, and to our shame, innocent children are killed and the tools of the abortion industry are raised against them. Yet, through His Glorious Passion and Holy Resurrection, the Door of Hades has been destroyed, Death has been vanquished and the path to Paradise is open once more. As St Gervasios of Patras said, ‘Even if only one hour from conception, this child, on the day of Judgment, will resurrect’. As our Saviour said, ‘God is not the God of the dead, but of the living’ (Mt: 22: 32) and through our Lord’s Resurrection, not one tiny child in the womb whose life has been taken through this terrible legislation will be forgotten. Their voices will be heard on that Eternal Day when they herald the return of Our Saviour at the end of Time and shout aloud with those Hebrew children in Jerusalem: “Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord”.
Priest Mark Tattum-Smith
Parish & Collegiate Church of the Ikon of the Mother of God:
“Joy of All Who Sorrow”, Mettingham, Suffolk (ROCOR)
Read out at March for Life UK’s Prayer Vigil for Life – 27th April 2024
