The annual Memorial Day Mass, held by a notable Catholic organization, the Knights of Columbus, is set to proceed as per tradition. Earlier, the National Park Service (NPS) denied the required permit for the event held at Poplar Grove National Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia. The Knights of Columbus has held this religious service for the past 60 years. Following legal action claiming violation of the First Amendment, the NPS reversed its decision and granted the permit.
Attorney John Moran, who represented the Knights, expressed gratitude to the NPS for allowing the Memorial Day service to continue. State Republican Attorney General, Jason Miyares, also expressed his disappointment that the original permit denial had ever occurred.
Since 1986, the NPS has considered religious services and vigils as demonstrations, which they prohibit in national cemeteries, except for official commemorative events on days such as Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and other dates assigned by the superintendent. The Knights of Columbus claim that they have been allowed to hold Memorial Day ceremonies and prayer services for years, despite the policy.
First Liberty, a legal group advocating for religious liberty that supported the Knights in the permit case, thanked both Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares for helping the Knights secure their victory. The litigation brought against the NPS was dropped following the permit approval.