For as long as 11 years, the March for Life brings together all the associations and pro-life political parties in a civic march that takes place in several Portuguese cities (9 in this edition, on the 23rd of March), with Lisbon at the forefront. It is organized by the Portuguese Federation for Life which, thanks to a small group of volunteers, manages the materials such as banners, posters, t-shirts and other merchandising equipment, load them in their own private cars and distribute them to the participants who gather in the beautiful Luis de Camões square, in the middle of the Lisbon neighborhood of Alfama.

Unlike the march for life in Madrid, where neither slogans nor symbols of any political party can be seen, the Portuguese Caminhada pela Vida does not hide the different organizations that make it up, including political ones, and, in fact, the atmosphere is more demanding. more like a demonstration. Dozens of banners of different colors and messages pass through in a short time. This does not mean that there is no unity in the message: the value of life, its dignity, its legal defense at all stages, from conception to natural death. The most heard motto: Viva a vida. In fact, the vice president of the federation, Antonio Pinheiro, has held various political positions at different levels. Politicians coexist with NGOs in the federation.

The Socialist Portuguese government has been trying for years to legislate in favor of euthanasia, although it has not yet succeeded, and also wants to extend the terms to allow abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancy.

The march runs through several narrow streets in the heart of the Portuguese capital. They are full of tourists who observe it with amazement. Weren't the Portuguese such a peaceful and calm people? Well, a few streets away (barely a kilometer) the left-wing unions demonstrate in a nearby square for an increase in wages. Paula Simões, a 40 Dias pela Vida in Lisbon volunteer, comments somewhat perplexed that some mobilize for better wages, but in the March for Life they simply demand the defense of the right to live, something which so many unborn babies are deprived.

The public watches the march go by as if they were watching the ships at the harbour. There are no reactions, neither for nor against. Maybe some perplexity. They keep on sipping their coffees comfortably sat on the terraces and chatting about anything, enjoying the sunny and mild day of mid-March. Tourists queue next to the famous historical elevator while taking pictures or entertaining themselves with their cell phones. The guide should have warned them about this perk.

The event ends in the monumental Plaza de Pedro IV in the Rossio neighborhood, where Antonio Pinheiro and Lourdes Varela, coordinator of 40 Days for Life in Latin America, intervene, amongst others, on a small stage with a loadspeaker system at the center of the square. Lourdes appeals to each of those present: “Lisbon has a mission in the world. Each one of you too, and no one is going to do it for you." And she explains that the Lisbon campaign has been praying and saving lives in front of the Dos Arcos abortion facility for 13 years, praying for the lives of babies, the souls of mothers and for the abortion workers’ conversion. All doctors in Portugal are conscientious objectors, but Spanish doctors come to kill Portuguese babies. A sad cross-border contribution.

Paula Pimentel, campaign leader from Lisbon, and Paulo, an already experienced volunteer, show us the pregnancy help center that they have right in front of this abortion center that centralizes 30% of abortions throughout the country, more than 4,000 per year. In the small center there is a chapel with the Sacred Sacrament exposed and a beautiful white sculpture of the Virgin Mary collecting the blood of Our Lord on the cross in a cup. They also have a small kitchen where you can have a drink or a coffee, and it is full of basic necessities for pregnant women, diapers, baby food, clothes, strollers, carrycots. Outside hangs a large color photograph of Mother Teresa of Calcutta with a life-size sculpture of the Virgin Mary. The vigils are organized, for the moment, from a website that the volunteers have made by themselves: 40diaspelavida.org