Pope Leo XIV addressed the 2026 March for Life on January 22, sending warm greetings to the hundreds of thousands gathering in Washington, D.C. He urged participants to foster a society that “safeguards the sanctity of human life,” stressing that protecting the right to life is the foundation of every other human right. The Holy Father assured the march of his spiritual closeness and called on young people especially to advocate for life at all stages, engaging in dialogue with civil and political leaders. He prayed that Jesus accompany the marchers as they peacefully stand for unborn children, fulfilling the Lord’s command to serve the least among brothers and sisters. An apostolic blessing was extended, entrusting the advocates to the intercession of Mary Immaculate, patron saint of the United States.
Notably, Pope Leo XIV—formerly Robert Prevost—had himself marched in earlier years, and this appears to be the first official papal letter directly signed for the event.