Red Wednesday, November 24, 2021, is a day on which we shine a light on the injustice of Christian persecution.

Cathedrals, churches, and other landmark buildings are lit red as a symbolic gesture to show solidarity with the world’s suffering Christians and those of other faiths persecuted for their religious beliefs.

This year’s focus is on the kidnap, forced marriage and conversion, rape, and sexual enslavement of Christian women and girls.

The Right Reverend Declan Lang, Bishop of Clifton and Lead Bishop for International Affairs, wants Catholics to join him in prayer for those abused for their faith:

“Pope Francis calls us to never ‘look the other way and let the dignity of women, especially young women, be trampled upon.’ It is essential that we listen to the voices of women and girls who have suffered abduction, violence, or forced marriage, including those targeted because of their Christian faith.

“I am grateful to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) for drawing attention to this issue and supporting survivors across the world.

“As we mark Red Wednesday, I hope that Catholics throughout England and Wales will join me in praying for everyone who has been affected by these human rights abuses and all those working for change.”

ACN has published a report that focuses on this persecution – Hear Her Cries: The kidnapping, forced conversion, and sexual victimization of Christian women and girls.

The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) launched the #RedWeek campaign in 2015, and it has now spread to many countries all over the world.

According to this year’s Religious Freedom in the World Report, two-thirds of the world’s population live in countries where there are serious violations of religious freedom. The numbers are increasing, and such violations now occur, for example, in 42% of all African countries: Burkina Faso and Mozambique are just two striking cases.