“Red Wednesday” will be held every year in the week following the Feast of Christ the King.An initiative to spotlight the persecution of Christians will now be an official annual observance for all Catholic churches in the Philippines. The bishops of the country decided to adopt the Red Wednesday campaign sponsored by Aid to the Church in Need, slating it to be held each year in the week following the Feast of Christ the King.
“The overwhelming support [of the bishops] makes the Philippines the first country to do this. We will do this, and we will continue to do this for every Christian in need,” said Jonathan Luciano, ACN Philippines national director.
Red Wednesday was first organized in the United Kingdom in 2016; the Philippines started joining the campaign in 2017.
The initiative involves casting a red light on a church building or other religious site or popular landmark, to recall that Christians are the most persecuted group in the world. Red, of course, is the color of martyrdom.
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Last November, more than 2,100 church edifices across the Philippines were lit in red to mark Red Wednesday, the largest turnout of the global event.
“May this serve as an inspiration to other countries as well, especially to nations like ours, which are of major concern when it comes to persecution,” said Luciano.
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