Religious leaders held a unity walk and a prayer service Monday’s evening in Oklahoma City as an alternative to a black mass scheduled at the Civic Center Music Hall.
Updated August 16, 9:48 a.m.
More than 1,000 people marched through downtown Oklahoma City as part of the demonstration. The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City's vicar general the Reverend William Novak addressed the crowd that gathered at the "Jesus Wept" statue across the street from the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
"You are welcome to walk in silence, or to pray, or even sing out if you would like," Novak said. "But let us be a sign of peace, unity, and faith."
Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Pentecostal, and other denominational leaders led the crowd from St. Joseph Old Cathedral to the First United Methodist Church a few blocks away, The Oklahoman's Carla Hinton reports:
Several people prayed the rosary, while another group sang a rousing rendition of “Victory in Jesus,” which they ended by shouting out “Hallelujah!” Numerous people prayed the Lord's Prayer together as they walked the short distance from the statue to the church. There was standing room only once the crowd gathered inside the building to hear faith leaders and others from different parts of the metro area share scripture readings and lead prayers and hymns.
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Archbishop Paul Coakley sent a letter to Oklahoma City’s Catholics asking them to participate in Monday’s event as a way to respond to both the black mass and other acts of hatred and violence, according to Hinton:
Coakley explained that the Satanists' event is called a black mass and “consumption of Mary” and is intentionally being held on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The feast day celebrates the Christian belief that God assumed the Virgin Mary into Heaven following her death. It is celebrated on or around Aug. 15 in many countries.
Family Policy Institute of Oklahoma president Timothy Tardibono told the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange’s Michael Cross the multi-denominational gathering near the Oklahoma City National Memorial is not about protesting.
“We wanted to give people an opportunity to be away from that event, and have a peaceful place,” Tardibono said. “With the Memorial obviously having so much meaning, we just thought it was a much better venue than being down there at the Civic Center with the police and the protesters."
Demonstrators will gather at the Jesus Wept statue across Harvey Avenue from the memorial's 9:03 gate, and walk over to Oklahoma City's First United Methodist Church.
The same group of Satanists held a similar black mass two years ago at the Civic Center.
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