Downtown Denver streets were temporarily closed to traffic Saturday as people of faith marched, sang and praised Jesus Christ during their second annual Marcha de Gloria, a Latino Christian worship and praise rally.
“We want to bring all churches together. It doesn’t matter what gender, race or color. We love America,” said Jackie Martinez, a Marcha de Gloria spokeswoman and event organizer.
Last year, nearly 4,000 people attended the Denver event. But this year the crowds were much lighter for the event that officially kicked off Friday afternoon at Civic Center park.
This year’s event featured Christian music, singers and dancers as well as a variety of food vendors.
“It was powerful; it’s Christians working together,” said Sister Lori McKinney, who attended this year and last year.
In April, a similar Marcha de Gloria event drew more than one million people in Mexico City.
Organizers said they got the word out about the march by holding monthly, then weekly, church meetings, distributing fliers and advertising on Spanish-language and Christian radio stations.
More than 120 pastors from as far away as Argentina, Mexico, Australia, Canada and from parishes in Arizona, New Mexico, California and Washington, D.C., attended Saturday’s event.
“We want to break cultural, racial and language barriers that exist and bring everyone together to serve Christ,” said Mario Mencos, a Guatemalan pastor at Ministerios Internacionales El Shaddai in Denver.
Annette Espinoza: 303-954-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com
