In Puerto Rico, hundreds march for seventh-day Sabbath awareness

More than 650 Seventh-day Adventists from area churches marched through the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico, to point to the Sabbath as a day of rest for the family,  on Oct. 31, 2015. Images courtesy of David Sebastian/IAD

November 12, 2015 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | IAD Staff

A Pathfinder club goes through the streets of San Juan during the march.

Seventh-day Adventists in Puerto Rico took the message of the 7th-day Sabbath through the streets of its capital city of San Juan, during a special march to emphasize the Bible’s fourth commandment. More than 650 marchers carried banners and signs, sang songs and distributed literature during the Sabbath afternoon hours of Oct. 31, from Capitol’s La Plaza de la Democracia through the Plaza de Armas by the Mayoral building.

Pathfinders held up their signs and banners and Adventist Medical Cadets led the march as hundreds of members sang and reminded business owners, street vendors and bystanders of the holy day.

“You could see people coming onto their balconies to see what the music and marching crowds were all about,” said Pastor David Sebastian, communication director for the church in East Puerto Rico, who helped organize the event. “Reminding communities in San Juan that the Sabbath is the seventh day of rest decreed by the Bible was the focus of our activity,” he added.

The church holds several marches during the year, but this was the first that focused on the Sabbath day, explained Sebastian.

Pastor David Sebastian, communication director in East Puerto Rico and organizer of the event speaks to the crowds about the importance of the Sabbath.

The march concluded with a praise and worship program back at the Plaza de la Democracia at sundown.

As the activity ended in front of the Capitol building, members and onlookers were reminded on seven key points about the Sabbath: It is a Christian day, a day for God’s family to partake, it was identified as a day of rest, it is God’s recipe for human stress, it was chosen by God and cannot be changed, it belongs to God and its observance is a profession of love for Jesus.

Recognition was given to young people with the most creative banners and signs of the day.

“The truth of the message of the Sabbath is a responsibility we all have as Seventh-day Adventists,” said Migdalia Hernandez of Maranatha Cayey Adventist Church.

Ramon Rodriguez of Toa Alta Adventist Church agreed. “If we could do this activity with all of the churches in the East Puerto Rico we could reach so many more people with this message,” he said.

Other members praised the activity and prompted leaders to organize more marches about the Sabbath soon, church leaders said.