An evangelical Christian group in Virginia have announced they will hold a 40-day hunger strike in protest of same-sex marriage.

According to FrontiersLA, the Richmond-based Family Foundation has announced that members will refuse food for 40 days and 40 nights, from August 27 until October 4.

The state adopted a constitutional same-sex marriage ban in 2006, but it was struck down by Judge Arenda Wright Allen in February.

The ban is currently stayed pending an appeal, which is scheduled to be heard on May 13 by the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

If the ban passes through the appeals court, it could head to the Supreme Court, which the protest is aiming to target.

A statement from the Family Foundation called for “40 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Repentance (…) for the sake of our families, our state and our nation”.

It continues: “In order to restore the U.S. to what the Family Foundation sees as its rightful state of hetero-supremacy, the group hopes to enlist as many fellow Christians as possible in the weeks-long vigil.

“The Supreme Court begins its session on October 6. We fully expect it to take a marriage case sometime in the next year.

“The federal government, the news media, Hollywood, the public education system and big business all are arrayed on the side of same-sex ‘marriage’.

“Only the church stands in support of God’s design for marriage.

“If you are a pastor, please consider having your church join with us in this effort.”

Last year a man went on hunger strike when same-sex marriage was legalised in Utah, but ended his strike early once a stay was put on the decision.