St. Michael’s Basilica lights up red for Red Wednesday, honoring persecuted Christians with Mass and global solidarity events.
Newsroom (14/11/2025 Gaudium Press ) On November 19, St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica in downtown Toronto will be bathed in a striking red glow, a vivid symbol of solidarity with millions of persecuted Christians worldwide. The illumination marks Red Wednesday, an international initiative led by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Canada to raise awareness of religious persecution and foster interfaith respect. At 5:30 p.m., Most Reverend John A. Boissonneau, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, will preside over a special Red Wednesday Mass, urging Catholics to defend the fundamental human right to religious freedom.
Red Wednesday, which began in Brazil in 2015 with the red illumination of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue, has grown into a global movement. ACN Canada joined in 2018, and this year, over 50 Red Wednesday Masses, vigils, adorations, and rosary events will take place across Canada, from Montreal to Newfoundland and Labrador. In Calgary, Bishop McGrattan will celebrate a parallel Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral on the same day. Churches participating in these events will be lit red, the color of martyrdom, to honor those who suffer for their faith.
“Red Wednesday is a chance to pray, to be informed, and to support ACN’s projects in countries where persecution is rampant,” Bishop Boissonneau said. “It’s about awareness and finding ways to show solidarity with those who face oppression.” ACN Canada supports over 5,000 projects in up to 150 countries, providing aid to poor, oppressed, and persecuted Christian communities. The organization’s work remains critical as religious persecution continues to escalate.
According to ACN statistics, 327 million Christians live in countries where religious persecution occurs. Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List reports that 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution or discrimination, with 310 million enduring extreme or very high levels in the top 50 countries alone. In 2024, 4,476 Christians were murdered, 7,679 churches or Christian properties were attacked, and 4,744 Christians were imprisoned for their faith globally. “It’s not getting better,” Bishop Boissonneau said. “The importance of ACN and Red Wednesday has only grown.”
Globally, ACN International’s Red Week, running from November 15 to 23, anticipates over 500,000 participants through events, media outreach, and online platforms. More than 100 events are scheduled across countries including Australia, Germany, Portugal, and Colombia, with over 10,000 direct participants expected at prayers, concerts, and marches. Landmarks and churches worldwide will join St. Michael’s Basilica in glowing red, amplifying the call for religious freedom.
In Canada, ACN encourages schools, parishes, and communities to participate by praying, wearing red, hosting events, and fundraising to bolster support for persecuted Christians. For Bishop Boissonneau, the nationwide embrace of Red Wednesday is heartening. “It’s a broader Canadian experience,” he said, noting the opportunity for Catholics to unite in prayer and action.
As the red light illuminates St. Michael’s Basilica, it will serve as both a beacon of hope and a sobering reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by millions. Through Red Wednesday, ACN Canada calls on the faithful to bear witness to their afflicted brothers and sisters, fostering a global movement of solidarity, prayer, and advocacy for religious freedom.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Catholic Register and CNA
Related Images:
