Pro-life Croatian men pray for family life
Men pray at Ban Jelacic square in Zagreb, Croatia. Photo EPA, Antonio Bat Activists from 'Domino' association protested the prayer on the same day. EPA/ANTONIO BAT
Southern Europe
Be Manly. That was the theme for a public prayer of Croatian men in Zagreb last Saturday. Fathers should have a more central role in the upbringing of children, they say. Women’s rights activists in the country think differently.
The supplicants pray for a more central role of fathers in family life and for an end to abortion. Currently, women are allowed to terminate their pregnancy up to ten weeks after conception. After that, abortion is only allowed in the case of endangered health, or if the pregnancy is the result from rape or incest. Requests after ten weeks must be approved by a Committee.
The men also pray for the conversion of their country.
The prayer meeting had a Roman Catholic character. The public prayer of the rosary is organised by the brotherhood of “Knights of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”. The organisation encourages men to pray. At the same time, the prayer also aims to advocate for peace and conversion in Croatia.
During the vigil, women organised a counter protest. That is reported by N1. “The men's request for the restoration of their authority in the family is retrograde, unconstitutional and anti-civilisational", the Women's Network Croatia wrote in a press release.
According to the women, the men also prayed for the submission of females. They argued that the vigil should have been banned. Some women also accused the men of being supported by Polish pro-life organisations.
The prayer meeting lasted for an hour, just like the women's protest on the other side of the square. It ended peacefully.
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