SW News: Pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need will be observing its Red Week campaign globally in support of persecuted believers from November 16 and 23. During this week, people around the world would be reminded of the Christian persecution and the lack of religious freedom.

On Nov 16, in the Houses of Parliament, London, the campaign will start with the official launch of “Persecuted and Forgotten? 2022”, the report on Christians oppressed because of their faith between 2020 to 2022. This report prepared by ACN national office, in the UK, addresses Christian persecution every two years.

Buildings and landmarks all over the world will be illuminated in red to express solidarity with persecuted believers. However, this year, ACN has asked the churches to keep the illumination on only for short amounts of time. Instead, it has recommended ringing bells as a measure to abide by the energy-saving regulations. Initiatives such as prayer actions and testimonies of suffering Christian communities will also be heard.

Right at the beginning of the week, St Karl Church in Vienna will be holding Holy Mass on Nov. 16. Austria has confirmed its support with 94 churches joining hands for the same by either illuminating the buildings in red or by holding prayer events.

In South America, ACN Colombia has invited sister Gloria Narvaez, a victim of Christian persecution, to share her testimony. The nun suffered a lot under Jihadist custody for long in Mali.

The United Kingdom has prepared for events such as the “Taste of Home” initiative, asking people to gather with friends and families and share a traditional meal from countries where Christians are persecuted.

About 100 churches in France will ring bells and there will be a round-table discussion in the Les Bernardins, Paris, followed by an evening prayer vigil at Montmartre on Nov. 23, concluding with a testimony by Archbishop Ndagoso from Kaduna, Nigeria.

10 cathedrals in Australia will be illuminated, and the Cathedral in Canberra will hold a Night of Witness prayer to show solidarity with oppressed Christians around the world.

The Red Week took its form in Brazil in 2015 when the country’s ACN office illuminated Christ the Redeemer in red to mark the persecution of Christians in Iraq. Similarly, in April 2016, ACN Italy illuminated the Fontana Di Trevi. ACN UK took the idea further and created #RedWednesday to commemorate all persecuted Christians on a particular Wednesday in November, and this was later expanded to a week in many other countries.