'Love, not doctrine holds us together' - Blood red cathedrals honor the dead

'In the Middle East, between a half and two-thirds of Christians have left the region or been killed in the past century.'

Brentwood Cathedral has joined the ranks of churches pledging to floodlight themselves in red during November to help raise awareness.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Catholic Herald reported Westminster Cathedral and Westminster Abbey are also prepared to be floodlit in red for November.

The churches are honoring those lost due to Christian persecution.

Fr. Martin Boland, the Dean of Brentwood Cathedral, explained Christians around the world are suffering persecution for their faith, though none as severely as those living in the Middle East.

"At present, Christians suffer greater hostility across the world than any other religious group. A recent report suggests that 200 million Christians, or 10 per cent of Christians worldwide, are socially disadvantaged, harassed or actively oppressed for their beliefs.

"This is deeply disturbing and the floodlighting of the Cathedral in red is to remind people of this. If the right to express religious beliefs freely is taken from people, then their humanity and dignity will be as well."

He warned Christianity could be eradicated in the Middle East entirely but believes the government and international sources have a responsibility to "highlight the human rights abuses faced by Christians in the Middle East and to respond to them."

Should those with power choose not to respond, he fears Christianity will be "wiped out in this region in a systematic and violent way."

By lighting up the Brentwood Cathedral each night, Fr. Boland says no one: "will be able to turn a blind eye to it and nobody, believer or non-believer, Christian or non-Christian, should turn a blind eye to the persecution of Christians in the Middle East."

The initiative began with the movement #RedWednesday, started by the Aid to the Church in Need, which calls people to bring awareness to persecuted Christians on Wednesday November 23.

The site asks people to stand in solidarity and to wear red that day to show their support.

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