Red Wednesday is an event aimed at highlighting the persecution and injustice suffered by Christians, while promoting respect and tolerance between people of different religions. We want people to take a stand for their faith, and more broadly, for religious freedom
Currently, there are 505 million Christians in the world living in a country where persecution, oppression, and discrimination against them are rampant to varying degrees. Although it is difficult to give an exact figure, we estimate that 75% of religiously motivated violence is perpetrated against Christians.
In solidarity with Christians who suffer for their faith, we invite you to plan an activity linked to this theme, to show your support by wearing red, or to illuminate your church, another significant building, or even your home in red—a color associated with martyrdom in the Christian tradition.
What you can do
The scheduled date in 2024 is November 20th (3rd Wednesday of November).
To help draw as much attention to the issue of persecution as possible, we are trying to coordinate so that events take place on the same day.
However, if you are unable to organize an activity that day, we invite you to do so during Red Week, from November 17 to 24.
You can:
Illuminate in red a church or other important building in your area;
Organize a Mass, vigil, or moment of prayer for persecuted Christians;
Pray the rosary;
Choose special universal prayers to include in a celebration;
Invite people to wear red;
Organize a presentation on religious persecution or religious freedom with the help of Aid to the Church in Need;
Use social media to publicize the event and raise awareness of the cause;
Hold a press conference;
Organize a fundraiser to help the affected communities
Society and Religious Persecution
In our secular society, injustices and persecution against believers are largely ignored— possibly because religion is absent from the public arena. It is also because people are less and less educated about religion. As a result, it is difficult for most Westerners to fully grasp the nature and scale of the situation today.
Therefore, Red Wednesday aims to make Christians aware of what is occurring around the world, and to encourage them to take action through prayer, and also by supporting Aid to the Church in Need’s projects in Syria, Iraq, and other countries where persecution is rife
Objectives:
To strengthen the faith of believers through the example of other believers who suffer persecution, but who remain strong in their faith;
To inform and educate about religious freedom as well as persecution, since the lack of religious freedom is in fact a violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
To make known the work of Aid to the Church in Need and the various aspects of its mission, especially with persecuted communities around the world;
To encourage Christians of all ages and traditions to stand up for their faith and for religious freedom as well as for the right of Christians throughout the world to live their faith peacefully, without fear or obstruction;
To raise public interest and awareness, and to educate on the issue using reports produced by Aid to the Church in Need, such as Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians Oppressed for their Faith and Religious Freedom in the World Report to show that sadly, religious persecution is still highly relevant today.
