Red November: a chance to stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians

Throughout November, Catholics in Melbourne and around the world are being called to remember and stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians through the Red November campaign, led by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a pontifical charity working for the cause of persecuted Christians globally. The month-long initiative seeks to raise awareness, prayer and support for Christian communities facing severe hardship and violence around the globe.

Bernard Toutounji, National Director of Aid to the Church in Need Australia and New Zealand, emphasises the importance of standing with Christians who do not enjoy the protections that we take for granted in Australia. ‘These Christians, the Catholic population who are suffering or oppressed or persecuted, are our brothers and sisters in Christ,’ he points out. ‘We share in the same baptism, in the same faith.’

The climax of the Red November campaign is Red Wednesday, which falls on 20 November in 2024 and is marked by the illumination of churches and public buildings in red as a symbol of solidarity. This year, 24 Catholic cathedrals across Australia will participate, including Melbourne’s iconic St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Christians are not just suffering; they’re dying.

‘St Patrick’s has been lighting up in red for the past four or five years,’ Mr Toutounji says, praising the Archdiocese of Melbourne’s commitment to raising awareness for the cause.

ACN’s recently released Persecuted and Forgotten? report paints a stark picture of the global challenges faced by Christian communities. The report details the harsh realities for believers in countries such as Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Nicaragua and the Holy Lands, where violence, discrimination and systemic persecution are part of daily life for many Christians. Reflecting on this sobering reality, Mr Toutounji points out that in Nigeria, ‘Christians are not just suffering; they’re dying … The government is really failing to intervene to protect its people, so we really want to speak out for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria.’

The report highlights the persistent violence in Nigeria’s ‘Middle Belt’, where extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continue their assaults. On Christmas Eve 2023, extremists brutally killed more than 300 Christians in coordinated attacks across Plateau State. Such stories underline the urgent need for awareness and action.

Many of these Christians ‘live day to day not knowing whether there’ll be an attack’, Mr Toutounji says, emphasising the need for prayer, and to assist in any way we are able, whether that’s through trauma support or other forms of aid.

Mr Toutoujni is also keen to draw attention to the situation of Christians in the Holy Lands, where Christian populations have been in rapid decline in recent years, and particularly so in the past 12 months. In Bethlehem, for instance, ‘it’s only about 1,000 Christians among two million others,’ he says. ‘These are the lands where Christ walked, where the beginnings of our faith are found.’

Learn, pray and support. That’s what we’re asking people to do.

While the focus often falls on areas of high-profile conflict, there are also hidden stories of hope, such as in Vietnam, where, despite ongoing struggles, Vietnamese Christians are gradually being given more freedom to practise their faith. ‘Some of that pressure has eased, and the relations between the Church and the state have improved slightly,’ Mr Toutounji says. This glimpse of progress serves as a reminder that advocacy and prayer can bear fruit.

Mr Toutounji is also heartened by the ‘growth in interest’ he’s observed in recent years within the Australian community when it comes to the plight of persecuted Christians. ‘We speak in 200 parishes across the course of a year around the country, and we engage in all sorts of ways to talk to people,’ he says. ‘I think it’s a little bit more in the news. People are a bit more aware of it.’

The campaign’s reach is not limited to churches and cathedrals. ACN invites individuals and parishes to engage through simple yet meaningful actions. The Red November website (rednovember.org) offers resources for organising events and suggests ways to participate at home. Mr Toutounji identifies three simple ways for individuals to get involved: ‘Learn, pray and support. That’s what we’re asking people to do.’

Learning involves understanding the gravity of the situation. The Persecuted and Forgotten? report is a sobering reminder of the resilience of Christian communities who, despite facing threats of violence, continue to bear witness to their faith. In Burkina Faso, for instance, jihadist groups have driven entire Christian villages from their homes, and according to the report, ‘Christian women face heightened risks of violence, including abduction and sexual assault.’

Other ways to learn about the persecuted Church is by exploring the Red November website, where you can view a number of short videos, sign up to receive the ACN newsletter, and read stories of faith and courage.

Praying for these communities is another vital way to show support. Mr Toutounji gives the example of an ACN school initiative called ‘Go to Mass for someone who can’t’.

‘The idea is that when you go to adoration, pray a Rosary or go to a Mass, you might be doing that for another Christian who can’t [because of the] circumstance they’re in,’ he explains. This act of solidarity reinforces the universal nature of the Catholic Church and deepens the connection between Catholics in the West and those suffering abroad.

Mr Toutounji also encourages people to show their active support in practical ways, such as by making financial contributions or sharing the stories of persecuted Christians to raise awareness. ACN’s work includes the distribution of aid and providing trauma support to those affected by violence.

One unique way to support Christians in the Holy Lands is to purchase a range of items carved from olive wood from Bethlehem, including crosses and small statue. Buying these items supports Christian families trying to remain in the Holy Land, Mr Toutounji explains. ‘We’re supporting them to stay in their place and to be, in a sense, a presence there, a voice there, a goodness there, a beacon of light there,’ he says.

The value of Red November is not only in shining a light on the hardships faced by Christians but in sparking a response from those who might otherwise take their religious freedom for granted.

They’re an example for us; they challenge us to reflect on what our own faith means.

‘It’s only by a chance blessing that you and I aren’t subjected to the sort of difficulty that they experience,’ Mr Toutounji observes. ‘So they’re choosing very deliberately, in a lot of these cases, to follow the Lord. We have the freedom to go to Mass or not. They don’t have that choice. They’re an example for us; they challenge us to reflect on what our own faith means.’

In Melbourne, the campaign has gained momentum over the years, with churches and individuals increasingly taking part. ‘It’s encouraging to see bishops and communities engage with Red November. It changes perspectives and helps people feel connected to the wider Church,’ Mr Toutounji says.

This year, Red Wednesday falls on 20 November, and St Patrick’s Cathedral will be floodlit in red throughout that week.

As the month unfolds, ACN hopes that more Catholics will join in prayer, awareness and support.

‘The suffering Church is bigger than one act or collection,’ Mr Toutounji reminds us. ‘It’s a journey we should all be on together.’ The goal of Red November is simple but profound: to stand with the persecuted, not just for a day or a month but as part of an ongoing commitment to the global Church.