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Peace vigils mark night before protest

WASHINGTON — From pulpits and pews across America, antiwar Christians congregated in the nation's capital Friday for a long weekend of prayer and protest for peace in Iraq.

"We've been opposed to this war since the beginning and feel like it's time for people to start standing up and do more than write letters," said the Rev. John Paddock, rector of the Christ Episcopal Church in Dayton.

On the eve of a massive antiwar march on the Pentagon, about 3,500 faithful came to pray at the Washington National Cathedral and then carry candles to the White House.

Tens of thousands of protesters were set to march from the Lincoln Memorial to the Pentagon today. The events are to mark next week's 4th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and the 40th year since the historic Vietnam War-era March on the Pentagon.

A competing "These Colors Don't Run" caravan of war supporters is to gather today on the National Mall.

Paddock and his wife, Ann, made an eight-hour drive to the capital with four of their eight children: Jessye, 17, Adelishah, 7, Aaron, 6, and Karah, 2.

"We thought it was important to have our kids participate in something like this," Paddock said. "We want to teach them what we feel about the way Christians stand up to witness against things we oppose in the world and that as citizens of this country, they have a right" to publicly speak their minds.

Click here to see this article at its original site: Cox News Service

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