This Week in History: April 27 – May 3

This Week in History briefly lists significant events in the history of the Unification Church, the lives of the Founders, and world events that are momentous to Unificationists. Most items are marked according to the solar calendar. Items marked “H.C.” correspond to the Cheon-gi or Heavenly Calendar, which is based on the lunar calendar. This installment covers the week of April 27-May 3.

April 27, 2002

True Parents pose with participants and dignitaries at the 144,000-Couple Clergy Holy Marriage Blessing, April 27, 2002.

Christians Participate in the Holy Marriage Blessing

True Parents held a Marriage Blessing for 144,000 clergy couples around the world on April 27, 2002. More than 700 clergy couples attended the main ceremony in Washington, D.C. while thousands of other couples participated in all 50 U.S. states and 196 nations via satellite connection. Following the event, True Parents declared the total victory of the interreligious and international ceremony in which 144,000 couples, including those of the Christian faith, had been blessed in marriage and offered to Heaven. Among the thousands of participants were 21 clergy couples matched directly by True Father and taught the significance of the Marriage Blessing by then Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) President Dr. Tyler Hendricks.

April 30-May 2, 1991

Soviet officials get a close-up look at U.S. democracy

As detailed in Dr. Thomas J. Ward’s book March to Moscow, from April 30 to May 2, 1991, the American Leadership Conference “sponsored an unprecedented seminar and fact-finding tour in Washington, D.C., for approximately 200 high-ranking government officials and political leaders from all 15 republics of the Soviet Union”. During their stay, the Soviet leaders received an introduction to Confederation of the Associations for the Unification of the Societies of the Americas (CAUSA) theory, and were given an inside look into the philosophical application of American democracy. During the conference, they were also able to see democracy in action as they met with federal officials in Washington, D.C., and city and state officials, and business leaders in New York City.

May 3, 1976

Unificationists clean New York City in May 1976 in preparation for the Yankee Stadium Rally.

U.S. members clean Manhattan and the Bronx

True Father launched the “America the Beautiful” project on May 3, 1976, as part of the campaign to raise awareness for the upcoming Yankee Stadium Rally. More than 1,000 members from across the United States took up brooms and dustpans to clean the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. Dressed in white jumpsuits with the God Bless America Festival logo on the back, members cleaned in their witnessing areas every morning from 7 to 8 a.m. The Church’s folk-rock band Sunburst provided free lunch-hour concerts, and hundreds of additional members arrived for the final push. They spearheaded street rallies and massive ticket distribution efforts. Church leaders were cautiously optimistic that the Yankee Stadium Rally, scheduled for June 1, 1976, would attract a large overflow crowd.

May 1, 1954

Foundation Day of HSA-UWC Korea

The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC) was founded in Korea on May 1, 1954. The church expanded rapidly in South Korea and by the end of 1955 had 30 church centers throughout the nation. In its early days, the church was known as “the wailing church” or “the church of tears” because of the passionate sermons given by True Father and his followers about learning the way of service and sacrifice for God and humanity.