The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington will hold its annual Mass celebrating the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 at 5 p.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 4275 Fourth Street in Southeast Washington, D.C.

Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. will preside at the Mass and serve as homilist. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington Gospel Choir will provide the music for the liturgy.

The Mass – sponsored by the archdiocesan Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach – is held each year near Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the federal holiday honoring the late civil rights leader that is observed on the third Monday of January. This year, the holiday was observed Jan. 17.

Dr. King was assassinated almost 54 years ago. In late March 1968, he traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to support black sanitation public works employees who were on strike seeking higher wages and better working conditions. On April 4 of that year, Dr. King – standing on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel – was mortally wounded by a gunshot fired by James Earl Ray. He was taken to St. Joseph Hospital, where after emergency surgery he was pronounced dead. 

The archdiocese’s website has a page with information on the Mass honoring Dr. King and a livestream link for the Mass, and here is the direct link to the livestreamed Mass.

For more information, contact the Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach at 301-853-5335.