13th annual 'National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children' was largest ever

This year marked a historic moment in the observance of the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children on September 13, with 230 memorial services held across the country — the largest number since the event began in 2013. 

Key Takeaways:

• This year's National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children was the largest since the event's beginning 12 years ago, with 230 memorial services held nationwide.

• Memorial services were held in 47 states; some of the locations were actual burial sites or permanent memorials.

• The intent of the nationwide gatherings is to honor and mourn the children who have been lost to abortion in the United States since 1973.

• These remembrances are also meant to reflect on the past so we can create a future in which every child is cherished.

The Details:

As states across the country battle over abortion legislation, the United States continues to be a country deeply divided on the issue. But on Saturday, September 13, 2025, pro-life advocates across the country brought attention to the 65 million unborn children killed by abortion in the U.S. since Roe v. Wade made it legal nationwide in 1973.

Organized by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, Priests for Life, and the Pro-Life Action League, the day exists to humanize the unborn victims of abortion and raise awareness of their burial places.

On this 13th annual National Day of Remembrance, services were held in 47 states, many at actual burial sites or permanent memorials. While Hawaii, Idaho, and Wyoming did not host services this year, they have participated in the past. 

Each service becomes a sacred invitation for communities to pause, reflect, and respond. The stories shared, the prayers lifted, and the tears shed all testify to the lasting imprint abortion leaves on families. Yet in that grief, there is also profound hope. These gatherings remind us that forgiveness is available, and that every life, no matter how brief, is worthy of being remembered. 

Zoom In:

Not Forgotten Ministries hosted its sixth annual memorial at Wallburg Town Park in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The family-friendly event featured music, prayer, a guest speaker, and heartfelt testimonies.

Attendees laid flowers at a temporary memorial created by the ministry, many honoring their own children lost to abortion. These families, having found healing through Not Forgotten Ministries’ recovery programs, came together to remember, grieve, and celebrate the hope of restoration.

Attendee Sarah Stanfield shared:

"I had the honor and privilege to attend the Memorial for the Victims of Abortion held by Not Forgotten Ministries on Saturday, September 13th. While I began my healing journey with this amazing ministry in 2022, this was the first memorial I have been able to attend.

The memorial was an opportunity for our community to not only grieve the babies we never got to hold, but an opportunity to celebrate their life in Heaven with our Lord. We got to experience beautiful music, testimonies from many strong women on a continuous journey of healing and praising words of glory to God.

While we will always have that place in our heart that will only be filled when we get to hold our baby in Heaven, it’s a blessing to know that they are safe in His arms until the day we arrive.”

From coast to coast, these gatherings offer a sacred space for those affected by abortion to mourn their children and discover that healing is possible. services included scripture readings, songs, and intercessory prayer for our nation. Open to all ages, the events also help younger generations understand the profound impact abortion has had on our country.

The Backstory:

The first National Day of Remembrance was held in 2013, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the burial of hundreds of abortion victims in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That year, 104 services were held.

Tens of thousands of aborted children have been recovered from trash bins, landfills, and medical waste facilities and laid to rest at more than 50 gravesites nationwide. The organizing groups believed these children deserved to be honored and have successfully established a tradition that recognizes aborted babies as individuals worthy of mourning, remembrance, and honor, an acknowledgment now reflected in hundreds of memorial services across nearly every state.

Today, the movement has more than doubled in size — proof that the call to remember and repent continues to resonate deeply.

This growing movement has helped shift the national conscience, inviting Americans to confront the reality of abortion not just as a political issue, but as a deeply personal and spiritual tragedy. Each memorial service is as a visible declaration that these lives mattered, and that healing is possible for those who carry the weight of abortion in their hearts.

What's Next:

The 14th annual observance will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to host a service, whether or not their community has a burial site, because every state has been touched by abortion, and every life lost deserves to be honored.

Anyone interested in hosting or attending a memorial service should visit the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children website and sign up for the Pro-Life Action League’s emails.

The Bottom Line:

Now, in a post-Roe America, it is more important than ever to mourn the millions of lives lost to abortion, and to seek God’s mercy for our nation.

The work of remembrance is not just about the past. It’s about healing hearts, changing minds, and building a future where every life is cherished.