Last Wednesday, at sunset, a group gathered in front of the statue of Saint Mary MacKillop at Sacred Heart Cathedral. As twilight deepened, the Cathedral behind them turned a vivid red, symbolic of the blood shed by countless persecuted Christians. Their purpose became clear: to pray for persecuted Christians on Red Wednesday.
Red Wednesday is a key date in the global Red November Campaign that raises awareness and expresses solidarity with those who suffer for their Christian faith or are persecuted because of their Christian faith.
This is the second year a vigil has been held on Red Wednesday at Sacred Heart Cathedral. This year, Fr Brian Boyle called for people to gather in front of St Mary MacKillop statue to be highly visible from High Street, a main thoroughfare of Bendigo. He acknowledged that, as Christians in Australia, those gathered for the vigil were free to pray in full public view without any sense of intimidation.
Living in Australia, it is hard to imagine that Christianity could be the world’s most persecuted religion, and yet according to reports it is. The World Watch List a publication of Open Doors (A non-denominational Christian Mission) states that persecution of Christians is increasing and is becoming more violent.
The findings of the World Watch List 2023 estimate that more than “365 million (one in seven) Christians lived in countries where they face high levels of persecution. 14,766 Christian churches, schools or properties were attacked (a seven-fold increase compared to 2022), 5000 of these were destroyed, and 4998 Christians were murdered.
Red Wednesday is an initiative of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) an international Catholic charity that supports suffering and persecuted Christians through prayer, information, and action. Their mission encompasses providing pastoral and humanitarian aid, advocating for religious freedom, and fostering a deeper understanding of the plight of persecuted Christians.
If you would like to do something to help, visit the Aid to the Church in Need website.
