Youths fill Washington sports arena for pro-life rally, Mass

Published: 2008-01-23

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A sea of color met the eye at the Verizon Center sports arena in Washington Jan. 22 as more than 20,000 young people from around the country filled all the seats for the annual Rally for Life and Youth Mass, celebrated by Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl. Numerous cardinals, bishops, rectors and priests from near and far also concelebrated the Mass, standing on the platform -- set up like a stage -- on the floor of the Verizon Center. Occupying the center seats were rows of seminarians dressed in black. In addition to the traditional rally and Mass, youths attending this year received a special surprise: a personal message from Pope Benedict XVI, read by the apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Pietro Sambi. In the message, the pope expressed his gratitude for the youths' commitment to life and said he looked forward to his visit to the United States. He will be in Washington April 15-17 and in New York April 18-20.

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