By Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)
The World, 13 November 2020 -- Do you know, that
From next week (18-25 November ) in many countries around the world Christians are invited to remember their persecuted sisters and brothers on the week before 'Red Wednesday' (first Wednesday after the Christ the King Solemnity), convoked by the ACN (International Pontifical Foundation - Aid to the Church in Need) since 2015. During that time thousands of Churches and church buildings are illuminated by red light in a global call for religious freedom, to draw attention to the persecution of Christians all over the world.
At the level of the United Nations the “International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief”, to be observed on 22 August was established in 2019.
As for the Catholic Church, the anniversary of Saint Bishop Oscar Romero (24 March) is celebrated as the 'Day of Prayers and Fasting for the Catholic Missionary Martyrs.'
Do you know?
According to ACN (Aid to the Church in Need), in today's world Christianity is the most persecuted religion. It's a fact, even though many people are not aware that:
- 80% of people who suffer persecution for their religious beliefs worldwide are Christians.
- 327 million Christians live in countries where there is religious persecution
- 178 million Christians live in countries where there is discrimination on religious grounds.
Do you want to know more about "Red Wednesday"?
There are many Christian - Catholic organizations offering concrete help to Christians who are persecuted or in danger, but the largest has already more than 70 years of history - 'Aid to the Church in Need' (ACN). The ACN has offices in almost 23 countries and supports the persecuted Christians in some 150 countries worldwide. In the EAO region the ACN has 3 country offices in Australia, South Korea and the Philippines. On its digital platforms you can find a wealth of witnesses, stories, information and prayer inspirations:
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