Manila, Nov. 27, 2019: Red light bathed the facade of Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila on Wednesday evening as the basilica joined more than 2,000 other churches in the country in observing the global Red Wednesday campaign.
First organized by Catholic pastoral aid organization Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in the UK in 2016, the Red Wednesday initiative seeks to call attention to religious persecution around the world. Red is considered the Christian color of martyrdom.
ACN Philippines led Christian institutions across the country for the campaign.
“The Manila Cathedral, in red, sings through its bells in remembrance for our persecuted brethren. We remember,” it said on Facebook.
The cathedral also hosted a headless image of Mary, Help of Christians, that was damaged during the Marawi Siege in 2017.
According to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the number of Philippine churches joining this year’s event is 25% higher than last year’s total of around 1,600.
CBCP vice president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David officiated the mass and the lighting ceremony at the cathedral.
The ACN reported that around 300 million Christians were persecuted worldwide last year.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/717025/manila-cathedral-other-churches-observe-red-wednesday/story/