1997 Blessing: Celebrating 26 Years

Happy 26th anniversary to all the participants of the 3.6 Million Couples International Holy Marriage Blessing! The ceremony was officiated by True Parents on Nov. 29, 1997 in Washington, D.C. at the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Memorial Stadium.

The 1997 Blessing was unique in that Unificationists went door to door conducting “pre-blessings” of couples who wished to re-dedicate their marriages. With great success, some 30,000 pre-blessed couples filled RFK Stadium. The Unification News described the ceremony as a “resounding victory.” 

Numerous ministers and members of their congregations also traveled from around the country to participate in the ceremony. Multiple media outlets reported on the 1997 Blessing, including The Washington Post, which stated the attendance to be 40,000 people, while CNN reported 45,000 people and the Associated Press reported 56,000 people. 

Congratulations to the many couples celebrating their blessing anniversary!