On the evening of November 19, 2025, the Parish Church of Steyr (Stadtpfarrkirche Steyr) and several prominent public buildings across the city were illuminated in red. Christians from various countries and regions gathered in front of the Steyr Town Hall to participate in the “Red Wednesday” event, expressing solidarity with more than 370 million persecuted Christians worldwide through a silent march and collective prayer.
Launched in 2015 by the international Catholic aid organization Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), “Red Wednesday” has since been observed in many countries. The event is typically held on a Wednesday in November, during which churches, historic buildings, and public sites are lit in red to symbolize the blood shed by persecuted Christians. Its purpose is to raise public and institutional awareness of violations of religious freedom and to call on the world to support and assist Christians suffering persecution, repression, and violence.
At 5:00 p.m. local time, the event officially began. Pastor Timm Smutny of the Mennonite Free Church (Freikirche am Schlosspark) in Steyr spoke on behalf of the organizers, saying: “More than 370 million Christians are suffering persecution. They cannot gather freely as we do. … By wearing red or illuminating buildings in red, we want to remind everyone that this is truly a matter of life and death. People are being marginalized, persecuted, threatened, and even deprived of their livelihoods simply because they are Christians. This persecution must end. It is absolutely intolerable.” Following his remarks, Mayor Markus Vogl and others delivered speeches.
Next, the silent march began. Three participants walked at the front holding a large “Red Wednesday” banner that read: “In solidarity with over 300 million persecuted Christians worldwide — Awareness, Prayer, Action.” The remaining Christians followed in an orderly manner, holding lit red candles, creating a solemn and reverent atmosphere. The scene served as a reminder that many Christians around the world still cannot pray or practice their faith freely; some are suffering government persecution, and others face threats to their very lives. They are in urgent need of attention and protection from the international community.
The procession stopped in front of the Waldensian Memorial (Waldenser-Denkmal), a monument honoring the Waldensian Christians who were persecuted and forced into exile for their faith throughout history. Suhaib, a Christian from Jordan, then shared his story of persecution, deeply moving the crowd. Afterward, the participants joined together in singing “My Time Is in Your Hands” (Meine Zeit steht in deinen Händen), their voices echoing through the night as an expression of care for persecuted Christians around the world and a longing for freedom and peace.
Inside the Parish Church of Steyr (Stadtpfarrkirche Steyr), Christians placed red candles one by one before a cross illuminated in red light, praying for persecuted Christians around the world.
Several Christians from China also took part in the event and were interviewed on-site, sharing their personal experiences of persecution for their faith in China.
Wang Yun (a pseudonym), a 24-year-old Christian, was forced to flee China due to the long-standing and brutal persecution of their church by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Her mother was arrested by CCP police for believing in God, and their family home was reportedly confiscated. Under the CCP’s ongoing pressure and threats, her older sister has also begun trying to stop her from practicing her faith.
Wang Jun said: “In China, we Christians have long suffered persecution by the CCP simply because of our belief in God. We have lost our freedom, lost our basic rights, and can no longer return home. Many brothers and sisters in our church have been arrested and tortured by the CCP; some have been sentenced to prison, and some have even been beaten to death. … I hope that through my experience, people can understand the true living conditions of Christians in China, and I also hope the international community will hear our voices and pay attention to the Christians who are suffering persecution for their faith in China.”
Zhang Ting (a pseudonym), is another Christian coming from China. Her mother was arrested by CCP police and sentenced to four years in prison for sharing the gospel, and she herself was forced to flee overseas in order to hold on to her faith.
Zhang Ting said that her mother must have suffered greatly in prison, yet there was nothing she herself could do except pray for her again and again. She said: “The CCP’s persecution of faith has torn apart our once-happy family, and we can no longer see one another. It is God’s words that have led me and comforted me, giving me strength and faith to make it this far. … Believing in God is the right path. No matter how the CCP persecutes us, we will rely on God and walk this path to the end!”
Christian Xu Fei (a pseudonym) also spoke about the reality that there is no freedom of belief in China.
She said: “There is no religious freedom in China. Whether you are a Christian, a Buddhist, a Muslim, or a member of any other faith community, the CCP will watch you, control you, and try to find ways to eliminate you. In China, faith is not a right—it leads to arrest, imprisonment, and even the loss of one’s life!”
They also said that by taking part in this event, they were not only speaking out for the brothers and sisters suffering persecution in China, but also using “Red Wednesday” to call on the world to pay attention to all Christians who are being persecuted.
A video was also shown at the event, presenting the situation of Christian persecution around the world in 2025: in many countries, churches are forced underground due to government persecution; visible churches are disappearing, public gatherings have decreased, and church buildings continue to be shut down. In China, unregistered churches are treated as illegal (note: in reality, house churches are not permitted to register at all, and those who attempt to do so are often arrested and persecuted), while registered churches face intense ideological control under the CCP’s atheist doctrine and Party culture. Religious education for children is banned, small gatherings are merged or forced into underground house meetings, and so on. Meanwhile, ongoing war, conflict, and violence in various regions have worsened the situation for Christians, placing many in even greater danger.
After that, representatives from several countries took turns coming to the stage to pray for Christians facing severe persecution in nations such as Nigeria, North Korea, China, Pakistan, and India.
At the end of the event, the Christians present signed their names to show their support for persecuted Christians around the world. As the praise song “The Lord’s Prayer” (Vater unser) played, the “Red Wednesday” event came to a close.
everyone that the suffering of persecuted Christians has not ended. In their silent glow, they spoke without words of a deep longing for freedom of faith and the protection of human rights.
