“As Catholics, we are there for all Mauritanians. Through our activities and the way we live together, we want to show that God loves all people.”

In a conflict-ridden world, Christian persecution, and the erosion of the right to religious freedom can go unnoticed. The goal of ACN’s initiative, which includes lighting in red monuments and buildings around the world, is to raise awareness of Christian suffering.

“Our work is sustained by the pain of victims. We want to let them know that they are not alone, that there is sufficient energy, generosity, and intelligence in Mexico to transform our reality and overcome this dark period which has done such damage to us all,” says Bishop Ramón Castro of Cuernavaca, the secretary general of the Mexican bishops’ conference and a participant in the recently held National Dialogue for Peace.  The initiative is a response to the violence ...

“We are very thankful for the many children's hands joined in prayer around the world. It is impressive to see how many children asked for Our Lady's intercession for peace. The overwhelming participation in the initiative shows the great concern and longing for peace, and a great willingness to pray for it."

"The situation is terrible. It’s not easy at all. Every day, new challenges arise. I've never experienced anything like this before, never! It's a war. Not like a war, it is a war."

Like many other Syrians, Mousa and Tamara lost their jobs and most prospects for a better life because of the civil war that tore their country apart. But these two Christians never stopped dreaming of a brighter future.