Laura Babbage and Lisa Maggil cry while holding each other during United in Hope: Denouncing Political Violence at Historic St. Paul Catholic Church in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Christian Kantosky/The Watchdog

Citizens from across the Commonwealth honored those affected by political violence at United in Hope: Denouncing Political Violence, praying for peace and demonstrating unity amid “uncertainty and fear.”

The 10th annual United in Hope gathering was held at the Historic St. Paul Catholic Church on Thursday, March 5, celebrating people from all backgrounds, religions and cultures in a “communal call to action.”

Lexington church leaders recited poems and traditional Hebrew prayers to honor the dead and Gov. Andy Beshear gave a keynote speech for over 1,000 attendees sitting in pews and standing along the church walls.

Pastoral Associate & Director of LGBTQ+ Ministries at Historic St. Paul Catholic Church, Stan “JR” Zerkowski, said he had the idea for the series in 2016 after witnessing the Pulse nightclub shooting.

He said he wanted to show that violence is not the answer and that peace is possible.

“My first event was called United Interfaith Encounter, where I gathered all these people. . . and we did music, we prayed from our own tradition,” Zerkowski said. “We remembered those that were massacred, sadly, in the years that ensued.”

The event has continued remembering lives lost in the Tree of Life synagogue killings, school shootings, and when the Hispanic community was being “targeted and profiled” during the first Trump administration, according to Zerkowski.

Nearly a decade later, Zerkowski hopes to serve as a “living sign” that people can flourish because of their differences and to help others realize that these very differences are what bring people together.

“I want them to walk away and say, you know, I was part of the community of the unexpected,” Zerkowski said. “We don’t expect Muslims, Jews, Christians, Democrats, Republicans, to come together and to pray together and to remember the dead together.”

Attendees sit and listen to Gov. Andy Beshear’s speech during United in Hope: Denouncing Political Violence at Historic St. Paul Catholic Church in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Christian Kantosky/The Watchdog

To conclude the evening, participants sang “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” demonstrating how the desire for peace can unite all people, according to Zerkowski.

“We have expressed our hope in different ways that this violence in word and action can stop,  and then together, we’re making a communal action,” Zerkowski said. “That is something that this world is in desperate need of.”

In the keynote speech, Beshear said violence has no place in this world and that he felt proud to speak at the event as Kentucky and Lexington take a stand against political violence.

“Political violence doesn’t just scare your average family,” Beshear said. “It tears into the fabric of our country.”

Beshear said humans are supposed to love each other in difficult circumstances and rise to that challenge, not fall to it.

After seeing friends and families affected by political violence, Beshear said we must amplify kindness, acceptance and empathy to move forward and see a better future.

“Love your neighbor as yourself,” Beshear said. “There are no exceptions.”

Gov. Andy Beshear walks to the podium to speak during United in Hope: Denouncing Political Violence at Historic St. Paul Catholic Church in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Christian Kantosky/The Watchdog

Roseann Place, a former member of the church for six years, said she travelled from Dayton, Ohio, for the event after moving away three years ago.

Place said it is important to be alert, society cannot make things better if the root of the issue is unknown and those who do not understand what is going on.

“There are people who can’t do it on their own. They can’t speak up, they have a harder time moving forward in this atmosphere,” Place said. “It’s important that we’re here, that we can help.”

Place said in “troubling” times like these, having interfaith events is crucial to ensure everyone feels supported by their community.

“We all have the same thoughts, the same beliefs,” Place said. “We just look at them through different glasses, but we all have the same ones, and we all want to work together to make things better.”