London Turned 'Color of Blood' for Persecuted Martyrs
The walls of the Palace of Westminster and other landmarks were flooded with bright red lights in remembrance of the millions of martyrs of religious persecution.
The red-lit landmarks were meant to shine a light on the millions who paid for their faith with their own blood.
Westminster lit in red tonight to remember the many Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith. #RedWednesday pic.twitter.com/QtPwF5XDc0
— David Simpson MP (@DavidSimpsonDUP) November 23, 2016
"The Colour of Blood": London turns red to mark millions killed for their faith.https://t.co/k2yML0uArv#RedWednesday pic.twitter.com/6N8Mfy1m4N
— Harry Farley (@HarryFarls) November 23, 2016
The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) organized the Red Wednesday campaign. Their message was impossible to ignore.
Lord Alton of Liverpool, a Catholic cross-bench peer, helped organize the event, calling it "extraordinary."
"Millions of people are suffering because of their faith," he told Christianity Today. "Article 18 (on religious freedom in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) is breached daily.
"Whether you are North Korean Christian in a gulag or you're an Ahmdi living in Pakistan or Bahá'í living in Iran or a Muslim living in Rohingya state in Burma or an atheist in Saudi Arabia – it all amounts to the same thing. People are being persecuted in the most grievous and horrible ways," he said.
Cathedrals, mosques, synagogues, and churches across England joined the movement in an expression of solidarity.
Outside the Jewish Liberal Synagogue, ANC spokesman John Pontifex told Christianity Today it was important for Muslims, Jews, and Christians to work together to fight persecution.
"By coming together we do not lose our identity. We actually build our identity because we learn a lot from one another and in many cases our identity is shaped by one another," he said. "This is a sense of homecoming."
Pontiflex said the day was about saying "enough is enough".
