Red Wednesday 2026
His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto, is inviting the faithful to take part in Red Wednesday 2026.
In a message sent to all the parishes of the Archdiocese of Toronto, Cardinal Leo emphasizes the importance of this international observance. “Red Wednesday is more than a day of remembrance; it is an invitation to deeper unity and solidarity (cf. Heb 13:3).” He also encourages people to “light your homes, community dwellings, and parish churches in red as a sign of prayerful solidarity with those who suffer for the faith.”
Not only distant figures
Cardinal Leo also reminds readers that Christians facing oppression and persecution are not simply statistics from faraway countries. “There is a temptation to think of persecuted Christians as distant figures whose suffering belongs to another place or another time,” he writes. “Through Baptism we are all members of one Body in Christ (cf. 1 Cor 12:12–13). “If one member suffers, all suffer together”(1 Cor 12:26), when one member remains faithful, the whole Church is strengthened by that witness. The courage of Christians who continue to pray, worship, and proclaim the Gospel despite threats to their freedom and their lives is not only an inspiration—it is a gift to the entire Church.”
Reflecting further on the meaning of suffering, Cardinal Leo writes: “Christian hope does not deny the reality of suffering. Rather, it proclaims that suffering united to Christ is never the final word. Throughout history, the blood of the martyrs has become the seed of new Christian life (cf. Tertullian, Apologeticum, 50), revealing the power of God to bring light from darkness and life from death (cf. Jn 12:24–26).”
Cardinal Leo also challenges readers to reflect on what the witness of persecuted Christians asks of them personally. Contrasting the religious freedom enjoyed in Canada with the hardships faced by Christians elsewhere, he writes:
“While we enjoy in Canada the freedom to gather for the Eucharist, carry a Bible openly, or speak about Christ without fear of imprisonment or death, many hide their faith through silence or indifference to avoid discomfort. The example of those who endure persecution asks each of us a simple but profound question: ‘How deeply do I trust the Lord?’ (cf. Mt 10:28–33). The witness of those who are persecuted encourages us to renew our own commitment to the Catholic faith, to prayer, charity, forgiveness, and joyful witness in the ordinary circumstances of daily life (cf. Phil 1:27–30).”
Events in Toronto
Red Wednesday has been observed in the Archdiocese of Toronto for almost a decade (since 2018). This year’s observance will include numerous Masses and prayers throughout Toronto and the surrounding area, including a Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica at 5:30 p.m., presided over by the Most Reverend Vincent Hieu Nguyen, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto (photo).
Finally, the November 18 edition of the Daily TV Mass (https://dailytvmass.com/) will be dedicated to Red Wednesday. It will be celebrated by Fr. Peter Turrone, a strong supporter of the initiative.
Registration and information: visit https://acn-canada.org/red-wednesday. In the Toronto area, inquiries can also be directed to Evellyne Lemos at [email protected].
Read the letter:
