Don’t be surprised if you see Notre-Dame, the Pont Neuf, the Concorde, the Pont des Arts or the Sacré-Coeur all lit up in brilliant red tonight . This has nothing to do with a lighting problem, or a holiday, but out of solidarity. In fact, the Association Aide à l’Église, behind the initiative, wishes to draw attention to the plight of the 413 million Christians persecuted around the globe. A strong, poetic, supportive and deeply touching gesture to be observed on the evenings of Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th, every 10 minutes until midnight…
Red Week in Paris: illuminated monuments to alert and commune
For the 10ᵉ consecutive year, the association Aide à l’Église en Détresse is once again striking hard by lighting up Paris’s most beautiful monuments in red. A magnificent spectacle at first glance, its main aim is to shine a spotlight on the suffering of millions of Christians around the world. Indeed, according to Le Parisien, one Christian in six is unable to live his or her faith in complete freedom, and is persecuted for it… The color red represents the blood shed by thousands of innocent people, who fight every day, sometimes risking their lives, to practice their faith.
Those wishing to take communion will be able to do so this Thursday at 8pm on the forecourt of Notre-Dame de Paris. It’s an opportunity for believers and non-believers alike to come together, pay tribute to the Christians who have died and hear moving testimonies. For the record, this red week is taking place in Paris as well as in other cities around the world: Christ the Redeemer, Rio, the Colosseum in Rome and other religious and emblematic monuments across Europe will be lit up in deep red in support of the martyrs throughout the week.
📅 Dates: November 19 and 20
💸 Price: free