National Prayer Vigil for Life

Jan 22, 2026

For those who cannot attend in person, the National Prayer Vigil for Life and other related events  that offer opportunities for prayer and reflection are livestreamed from the Cathedral Basilica in Washington, DC on January 22.

The National Prayer Vigil for Life is a prayer vigil held on the eve of the March for Life each January. Thousands of pilgrims from across the nation pray for an end to abortion and a greater respect for all human life. It is held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

The National Prayer Vigil for Life is one small part of the Church’s “great prayer for life.” It is sponsored by the USCCB Pro-Life Secretariat, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and The Catholic University of America Office of Campus Ministry.

A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer. —Pope Saint John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae