The March For Jesus in Dublin on Saturday showed “unity and friendship in Christ” – and also had messages for government on issues such as gender ideology in schools, with organisers expressing delight in the large attendance at the parade through the city centre.
In spite of bad weather before the event, which departed from the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square at 2pm, up to 25,000 people participated according to the organisers’ estimate.
“There was an atmosphere of celebration and devotion as crowds of people marched through the streets led by Bethania Church who led them in song with their worship team on a truck,” Pastor John Aherne of All Nations Church told Gript.
“The age demographic was striking: all ages were represented, including thousands of young people and families with little children. People had travelled from all corners of the island. There was a real sense of joy and occasion, as thousands marched past the GPO singing songs of praises to God. At a time of rising racial tensions Christians showed the nation the way forward, unity and friendship in Christ,” he added.
He said “there was a huge youth turnout and many happy faces, including a wide range of nationalities represented. Pastor Ahern opened the stage event in prayer, saying the Our Father in Irish. He said that they were there to “publicly affirm Christian identity of the nation”, declaring that Christ is King.
“Patrick brought the Gospel of Christ to Ireland almost 1,600 years ago. The history of Ireland therefore is not Muslim/ Buddhist/ Hindu or atheist: it is a Christian history, and it is our history, our heritage,” he said.
Pastor John Ahern addressing the March for Jesus
Pastors and leaders from North and South were in attendance – and the diversity of denominations represented included Bishop Alphonsus Cullinane of Waterford who prayed for the prolife cause. “There was a great sense of unity, and prayers were said for family, children, government, the addicted and the homeless,” organisers said.
Pastor John Ahern spoke out against the Irish Governments plans to introduce radical sex education to primary schools declaring that; “the Constitution recognised the parent as the primary educator, and that it seemed like the government were once again seeking undermine our rights as parents”.
He told the crowd that “the content of SPHE was inappropriate, and utterly inconsistent with a biblical understand of sexuality and gender”.
The marchers were led in enthusiastic song and the event ended by 5pm.