On Red Wednesday, Bishop Neylon prays for those facing persecution
Red Wednesday, 23rd November, is a day in which we come together globally to “Break the Silence” on the persecution of Christians and those of other faiths.
Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic charity that stands in solidarity with persecuted and suffering Christians, holds an day, annually, called Red Wednesday, that sees iconic buildings and monuments lit red to champion the cause.
Encouraging prayer on the day, Bishop Tom Neylon, Lead Bishop for Asia, said:
“Pope Francis reminds us that God created all human beings equal in rights and that freedom of conscience and religious freedom are inseparably linked to our innate dignity. He emphasises that this is not limited to freedom of worship alone, but the right of all to live in accordance with their religious convictions.
“Aid to the Church in Need has continuously shone the light on persecution of Christians across the world, including in parts of Asia where I have heard, first hand, about the threats and violence that people experience daily. On Red Wednesday, let us pray for all those facing persecution and everyone working for change.”
Speaking in Parliament’s Westminster Hall, Lord (David) Alton, a longstanding campaigner on human rights and religious freedoms, added his voice in support of #RedWednesday.
“All sorts of people around the world suffer persecution because Article 18 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights is violated on a day-by-day basis,” said Lord Alton.
“That is the Article that says everyone has the right to believe, not to believe, or change their beliefs.
” We should be Seeing Red about the 100s of millions of people who are persecuted globally for their religion or belief – from Uyghur Muslims to Nigerian Christians, to Bahais in Iran & atheists in Bangladesh.”
#RedWednesday
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