Persecuted Christian children remembered on Red Wednesday

Buildings are being floodlit red on Wednesday to recollect tens of millions of Christians around the globe being persecuted for his or her faith. 

Red Wednesday is an annual initiative of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) and this yr’s event will remember persecuted Christian children specifically. 

In a video message, Cardinal Vincent Nichols appealed to all people to become involved, and said a very powerful way they may support persecuted Christians was “in your prayers”.

“Let’s not forget those that on this planet today directly suffer with Christ – the persecution that he bore on the Cross and so they bear of their lives – especially the youngsters,” he said. 

“Let them not be forgotten. Let them be in the main focus of our hearts and our prayers.” 

In the run-up to Red Wednesday, ACN invited people to sign an open letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy asking that the federal government commit more foreign aid in support of Christians and other religious minorities being persecuted for his or her faith.

“ACN research consistently shows that oppression has intensified, and impunity against perpetrators has grown,” the letter says.

“This persecution included extreme violations of Article 18 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the suitable to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.”

A special Red Wednesday Mass might be held at Brompton Oratory in London joined by Archbishop Linus Neli of Imphal, India, and Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali, who fled to Britain from Pakistan within the Eighties because of persecution. 

During the evening, ACN will present its Courage to be Christian Award to a Christian who has suffered for his or her faith.  

In addition to the UK, over 300 events to mark Red Wednesday will happen around the globe in Australia, Canada, Chile, Columbia, France, Germany, Italy, the Philippines, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and the US. 

Supporters of Red Wednesday include Lord Alton who said the persecution of Christians “stays a big challenge worldwide”.

“Today, we especially raise the suffering experienced by the most important group of individuals persecuted for his or her faith worldwide,” he said. 

A day before Red Wednesday, he received a written reply from Lord Collins of Highbury on behalf of the federal government to an issue he submitted asking what motion is being taken to encourage respect for religious freedom in China. 

The written response said that the UK government has repeatedly raised the problem with China.

“This government stands firm on human rights, including the suitable to freedom of faith or belief,” said Lord Collins. 

“The Foreign Secretary raised human rights in every meeting along with his Chinese counterpart Foreign Minister Wang Yi, including during his recent visit to China on 18 October.

“More broadly, this government will champion freedom of faith or belief for all internationally. We will work to uphold the suitable to freedom of faith or belief through our positions on the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora and thru bilateral engagement.”