The president of the German Episcopal Conference, Heiner Wilmer, has sent a message of support to the participants in the March for Life, which will take place next Saturday, September 19, simultaneously in Berlin and Cologne. The bishop of Hildesheim has recalled that the protection of life expressly includes unborn children and has stated that a society demonstrates its humanity when it gives space and accompanies those going through difficult situations.
The mobilization, convened by the Bundesverband Lebensrecht, will begin at 13:00 hours at Washingtonplatz in Berlin and at Neumarkt in Cologne. The organization presents the march as a defense of the dignity and the right to life of every human being from conception.
“Respect, protect and promote” life in all its stages
In his message addressed to the participants, Wilmer maintains that the March for Life each year recalls a fundamental task of any society: “respect, protect and promote human life in all its stages”.
The president of the German episcopate also draws on words from Leo XIV to point out that the “moral greatness” of a country is manifested especially in its capacity to protect and value the life of all, particularly that of the defenseless and those whose worth is called into question.
“Precisely where life is vulnerable, where people have no voice or their right to exist is questioned, it shows how seriously we take human dignity”.
Wilmer considers that the March for Life directs attention precisely to those people whose existence “is not respected, recognized or is considered less worthy of protection”.
From the unborn child to the sick and the elderly
Wilmer expressly points out that the defense of life “is not limited to individual issues” and lists the areas that, in his view, must be included in it.
Among them he places “the protection of unborn children”, together with the care of the sick and the elderly, the accompaniment of the dying, the rejection of the death penalty, help for those in need and the commitment to peace and reconciliation.
To develop this idea, he again quotes Leo XIV:
“Whoever says: ‘I am against abortion, but I am in favor of the death penalty,’ is not really in favor of life”.
From this consideration, Wilmer warns that whoever intends to protect human life cannot at the same time pit some people against others, exclude them or relativize their dignity.
“Christian protection of life applies to every human being and knows neither a hierarchy of human lives nor a distinction between valuable and less valuable lives”.
“A society is human when it gives space to unborn life”
The president of the German Episcopal Conference concludes his message by linking the defense of life with social solidarity:
“A society is human when it gives space to unborn life, shares the burdens and does not leave anyone alone”.
With these words, Wilmer wishes the participants a good celebration of the March for Life 2026.
The event will also be attended by several German prelates. The bishop of Regensburg, Rudolf Voderholzer, has confirmed that he will personally participate in the march in Berlin, as he has done in previous years. “I consider it my duty as a citizen to give voice to those who still have no voice or no longer have one,” he declared when announcing his attendance.
The Bundesverband Lebensrecht has also announced the participation in Berlin of the auxiliary bishop of Regensburg Josef Graf and the emeritus bishop of Eichstätt Gregor Maria Hanke, while among the messages of support received by the organization is that of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, archbishop of Cologne.
Read also: Berlin and Cologne will host the March for Life with the public support of several German bishops
The March for Life will be held this year for the twenty-second time in Berlin and will once again take place simultaneously in Cologne.