The World in Red for

persecuted oppressed threatened Christians.

The World in Red for persecuted oppressed threatened Christians.

Register an event now!More about the persecution of Christians

Send a sign of solidarity with persecuted Christians

Period

Wednesday, November 20 to Sunday, November 24, 2024

Location

Worldwide!
Register an event now!

Cordial invitation to the Red Wednesday Mass

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Time:

5:30 pm
Location

St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, Toronto
Mass for persecuted Christians

48 Participants are already there

Leaflet | ACN Canada – Red-Wednesday
ParticipantsState
Diocese of EdmontonAlberta
Medicine Hat Catholic Board of EducationAlberta
St BernadaetteAlberta
St Bonaventure parishAlberta
St Gabriel the Archangel ParishAlberta
St. Mary’s Cathedral (Diocese of Calgary)Alberta
Holy Rosary CathedralBC
Roman Catholic Diocese of VictoriaBC
St. Patrick’s ParishBritish Columbia
Archdiocese Of St BonifaceManitoba
Our Lady, Queen of Families ParishNL
Armenian Catholic Church of TorontoOntario
Diocese of HamiltonOntario
Embassy of HungaryOntario
Holy Rosary ParishOntario
Jesus the King Melkite Catholic ChurchOntario
Our Lady of Good CounselOntario
Our Lady of Lebanon ParishOntario
Paroisse St. François d’AssiseOntario
St Joan of ArcOntario
St. Columbkille CathedralOntario
St. Columbkille CathedralOntario
St. John the Baptist ParishOntario
St. Michael’s Cathedral BasilicaOntario
Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of MississaugaOntario
Cathédrale Saint-Charles-BoromméeQC
Paroisse Saint-Pierre et Pinguet de l’Église Unie du CanadaQc
St Henri de TaillonQC
Versant-La-NoëlQC
Basilique –Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-MondeQuébec
Cathédrale Saint Joseph de GatineauQuébec
Diocèse de Saint-Jean-Longueuil – Église Saint-Jean-XXIIIQuébec
Église Notre-Dame-de-l’AssomptionQuébec
Église Saint-Michel de SilleryQuébec
Église Saint-Raphaël-ArchangeQuébec
Le Relais Mont-RoyalQuébec
Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-RoyalQuébec
Paroisse Notre-Dame-du-RoyaumeQuébec
Paroisse Saint-François-Xavier-de-BromptonQuébec
Paroisse Saint-Philippe de WindsorQuébec
Paroisse Sainte FamilleQuébec
Paroisse Sainte-Famille de ValcourtQuébec
Paroisse Sainte-GenevièveQuébec
Saint-AthanaseQuébec
Saint-Pierre-ClaverQuébec
St-AlexandreQuébec
Diocese of SaskatoonSK
Roman Catholic Diocese of WhitehorseYT

Red Wednesday around the world

Structures that have been illuminated in red in recent years include the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris and the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, the Austrian Parliament building and the Frankfurt Cathedral in Germany. In Canada, the Basilica-Cathedral of St.Michael in Toronto and Mary Queen of the World in Montreal, and the Duomo of the Oratory Saint-Joseph are also illuminated. In addition, Night of Witness took place in many churches, during which Christians reported on the persecution in their home countries.

Register an event now!

Photos from Red Wednesday worldwide

Useful information for participation

Take part in the day of action!
Be RED, Wear RED, Light RED, #RedWednesday

Since 2015, churches and state buildings have been illuminated in red to draw public attention to the fate of persecuted and disadvantaged Christians.

What you can do specifically:

Illuminate the parish church in red or a significant building of your town.

Register here.

Arrange a service or evening of prayer.

Download help here.

Pray for persecuted Christians. We offer a prayer for this.

Receive prayer here.

Wear a red piece of clothing.

Red Wednesday Kerze

Light a candle in our Virtual Chapel and pray for persecuted Christians

Click here to access

Use social media to spread the word about the event. #RedWednesday

Downloads

General Text on Religious Persecution

PDF | 92 Kb

Exemples of religious persecution

PDF | 309 KB

Prayer of the faithful

PDF | 81 KB

Mass for Persecuted Christians

PDF | 551 KB

Prayer Vigil for Persecuted Christians

PDF | 524 KB

Red Wednesday presentation of project

PDF | 305 KB

Rosary for Persecuted Christians

PDF | 258 KB

Support our work with a donation quick & easy online!

ACN is a pontifical charity and an international pastoral aid organization. We help the church wherever it is persecuted, oppressed or lacking in resources for pastoral care. In many countries around the world, the Catholic Church through its schools, hospitals and parish centres is the only functioning infrastructure and an anchor of hope. Help support this important work!

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

How do I register my parish/organization to participate?

Simply enter the event location here. Of course, please coordinate participation with the pastor or the governing bodies beforehand. If you are planning an event (e.g., prayer evening, church service), you can also announce this via the link.

Can I also participate as an individual?

Absolutely! Under the participation information here, you will find several suggestions. Order material about the campaign here and make Red Wednesday known to your circle of acquaintances and via social media. Reach out to your parish or community and encourage participation. The more buildings that light up, the stronger is solidarity!

Who organizes Red Wednesday?

Red Wednesday is a worldwide campaign by the Pontifical Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). As part of this campaign, dioceses, parishes, organizations, and individuals worldwide are called upon to illuminate buildings in red, to organize events, and to draw attention to the topic of “persecution of Christians”.

Why is it only about Christians? What about the other religions?

Red Wednesday is not an event just for Christians, but a widely visible symbole of the human right of religious freedom for members of all religions. As a Catholic aid organization, however, Aid to the Church in Need primarily provides information about the situation of Christians worldwide. And as Christians, we pray for our fellow believers in situations of persecution. In the end, everyone benefits from an end to discrimination and the implementation of religious freedom worldwide!

Doesn't the church have other problems?

The Red Wednesday campaign focuses on the everyday struggle for survival of Christians in the universal Church. To these people, we have an obligation to raise our voice against discrimination and persecution, no matter how ashamed we are of the scandal of abuse of power in the Catholic Church. These issues should not stop us from doing good!

Is lighting appropriate with a view to saving energy?

In consideration of the energy saving measures that were introduced in the wake of the energy shortage, only short-term lighting will be carried out this year. Churches and public buildings are only illuminated on selected days and not continuously for weeks as before. This short-term lighting usually takes place with the most modern LED technology, the energy consumption is therefore minimal. The Church in Need is of the opinion: The human right of religious freedom is worth setting this short but widely visible sign!