On Wednesday The Gateway Pundit announced a prayer rally on Saturday at the iconic St. Louis Statue on Art Hill in Forest Park.

** The prayer rally is planned at noon at the St. Louis statue.
We will recite a rosary — the prayer used by St. Louis of France.
If you are Catholic, Christian or an ally we urge you to join us.
We will have a Christian lead us in prayer.

We planned the rally because there is currently a petition by local leftist and radical Umar Lee to remove this beautiful landmark in St. Louis City.

We are calling on all Catholic and Christian men in the St. Louis, Missouri area to join us in public prayer to save the iconic St. Louis statue in Forest Park.

On Thursday the radical group behind the petition to remove St. Louis from our city posted a response.

Umar Lee posted this today on Twitter.

The group behind the petition against St. Louis will hold a counter rally.

Umar Lee says in his announcement that we are “white nationalists” and “Trump supporters.”

Umar Lee says, “Among those who have signed up to attend are those on the alt-right such as those who held the infamous and tragic rally in Charlottesville.” This is a lie. There is no one from the Charlottesville rally or linked to the Charlottesville rally or who promoted the Charlottesville rally who will be at the prayer rally (that we know about).

We are Christians and Christian allies who believe we still have the freedom to practice our religion in America.

We are organizing a prayer rally with Catholic and Christian men.
And now we are being threatened — In America.
We will not apologize for our Christianity.
Not in St. Louis.

Here is more on St. Louis of France.

Louis IX, was born at Poissy, France in 1214. He succeeded to the throne at the early age of twelve under the regency of his mother Blanche of Castille. Having married Margaret of Provence in 1234, he was the father of eleven children.

Louis, a follower of St. Francis of Assisi, was known for his ardent piety and sanctity. Unlike other Kings who gave customary offerings to the poor, Louis invited the poor to his own table each day, where he waited on them and attended to their needs. His personal interest in the poor led to the founding of numerous charitable institutions including hospitals for the destitute and lepers.

Known as the “Peace King”, he managed to mediate between the popes and the German Emperors which kept France out of war. As a Ruler, he dispensed justice fairly and with great attention to the needs of his subjects. He was known for his scrupulous honesty.

Ardent to the Church of Rome, he collaborated with the Papal Inquisition which fought to enforce religious orthodoxy throughout his Realm.

Louis was also a great patron of the arts and architecture. During his reign, the famous Sorbonne Theological School was formed in Paris and the gothic jewel, the Sainte Chapelle in Paris, was built as his personal chapel. In the Sainte Chapelle, he enshrined the true Crown of Thorns which he had secured from the Emperor in Constantinople.

Louis led two Crusades to the Holy Land, both ending in catastrophe. On his first crusade, he was taken prisoner by Muslim forces in 1250 for which his countrymen were forced to pay a ransom. On his second crusade in 1270, Louis is credited as having restored the holy site at Tunis and having personally assisted in the burial of his dead soldiers.

Upon his death at Tunis in 1270, he was laid out on a bed of ashes in the shape of the cross.

Revered as a saint before his death, he was canonized by Pope Boniface VII in 1297.

St. Louis, the only King of France to be canonized was recently hailed as the “the greatest of all Saint-Kings” by biographer Jacques LeGoff.

Please join us Saturday.

Photos by Jim Hoft

The post UPDATE: RADICAL LEFTIST GROUP Threatens Christian Prayer Rally Planned on Saturday to Save the Iconic St. Louis Statue in Forest Park appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.