Montreal, November 19, 2024 – Red Wednesday (Mercredi Rouge) will take place tomorrow from coast to coast. To help you better understand this international event, here is some additional information.
Event Description:
- Red Wednesday — #RedWednesday — is an international movement of solidarity with Christians facing persecution, as well as a means of raising awareness on the subject.
- All over the world and in Canada, iconic landmarks and buildings, including churches, will be illuminated in red to symbolize the blood of martyrs.
- This year, the event in Canada coincides with the release of the Persecuted and Forgotten? 2022-24 report, which highlights cases of oppression and persecution experienced by Christians in 18 countries.
In Canada
A map of activities related to Red Wednesday is available on the event’s home page at: www.acn-canada.org/rw.
While this non-exhaustive list is based on information Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Canada was able to gather, as not all participants have officially registered, we are pleased to announce that at least six dioceses will host Eucharistic celebrations in their respective cathedrals: Calgary, Edmonton, Joliette, Montreal, Pembroke, and Toronto. Additionally, at least three eparchies are organizing celebrations.
History:
Red Week was initiated in Brazil in 2015, when the Brazilian office of Aid to the Church in Need illuminated Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue in red to draw attention to Christian persecution in Iraq. In April 2016, inspired by this initiative, Aid to the Church in Need Italy illuminated the Trevi Fountain in Rome. In the United Kingdom, the British office of Aid to the Church in Need expanded on the idea, creating Red Wednesday, which French-speaking offices adapted as Mercredi Rouge. This day, dedicated to commemorating persecuted Christians, takes place on the Wednesday of Red Week (Semaine Rouge). Aid to the Church in Need Canada joined this international movement in 2018. This year, over 40 dioceses, parishes, and organizations are promoting the event, illuminating buildings, or organizing activities, most often prayer services and Eucharistic celebrations.
Finally, in Alberta, the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District are inviting their member schools to involve students, by encouraging them to wear red and participate in awareness activities with their classmates.
November 2024: Red Week has begun in Northern Ireland, home to the world’s largest statue of Saint Patrick.
Illuminations in Red
Churches across Canada will be illuminated in red, including:
- Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in Montreal
- St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica in Toronto
- The dome of Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal, the largest sanctuary dedicated to Saint Joseph in the world
Support and Partners:
Aid to the Church in Need Canada thanks its partners, such as Salt + Light Television, Radio VM, Daily TV Mass, Ivan & Co. Lighting, and the diocesan teams of Montreal and Toronto.
Worldwide
This year, the facade of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral will be illuminated in red. This is the first time this globally renowned monument will be lit for Red Wednesday. It joins a list of prestigious landmarks that, in recent years, have reflected our solidarity: Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum in Rome, the Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre in Paris, and the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) in London.
Contact Information:
For Participants:
In Montreal: Valérie Vulcain at vv@acn-canada.org, 514-932-0552, ext. 227
In Toronto: Evellyne Lemos at el@acn-canada.org, 416-785-0498
For the Media:
Mario Bard, Head of Information for ACN Canada: com@acn-canada.org, 514-967-8340.
