Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is launching a new campaign at the beginning of Lent. “Martyrs of our days: witnesses of hope” is a call to show solidarity with persecuted Christians around the world. Inspired by Pope Francis’ invitation to celebrate a Jubilee of Hope, this campaign aims to highlight the fact that, despite the persecution they suffer, today’s martyrs continue to be examples of consolation, faith and hope. 

Since its foundation in 1947, ACN’s mission has been to support the suffering Church, especially in places where Christians face persecution, discrimination and oppression. In recent years, according to reports produced by the charity, persecution among Christians has not diminished. In fact, in many parts of the world it has increased. The locations and those responsible for that persecution may have changed, but the suffering itself, unfortunately, continues.

In the papal bull for the Jubilee year 2025, Spes non confundit (Hope does not disappoint), Pope Francis states that: “Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love: ‘Who will separate us from the love of Christ hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or the sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.’”

As a period of preparation for Easter, Lent stands as a reminder for Christians of Christ’s final victory over death. Although the history of the Church is marked by the Cross and the blood of martyrs, it is illuminated by the hope of knowing that this is not the end. Throughout the centuries, martyrs have been moved to bear witness to a hope that does not die, through the certainty of the Resurrection. This remains true in our own times, as the Church continues to be attacked, while it also continues to live, proclaiming the Gospel and sustaining the faithful with hoppe.

With this campaign, ACN invites all to take part in this mission to support our persecuted brothers and sisters and to keep the light of hope alive. To this end, the charity presents examples of projects in 20 countries, such as Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Mexico and Syria.

Sowing hope amid persecution

“This Lent, ACN wants to increase its effort to strengthen the presence of the Church in places where faith is under attack. Through the construction or reconstruction of church buildings and other structures, trauma healing programs, support for the formation of priests and religious, and emergency aid to communities of displaced Christians, we continue to work so that hope is not extinguished,” says Regina Lynch, executive president of the charity, in a brief summary of the campaign’s goals. “Furthermore, being aware that interreligious dialogue is key to building peace, ACN is promoting projects that foster understanding between different faith communities. Reconciliation is an essential way forward to avoid new cases of persecution and build fairer and more fraternal societies,” she adds. 

ACN’s commitment to the persecuted Church is reflected in its logo, where the vertical bar symbolizes a world divided by evil and marked by hatred and injustice, while the horizontal bar represents the strength of faith and an arrow pierces the division, in a sign of hope. All of this is contained within a red circle, evoking the blood of the martyrs and the sacrifice of so many Christians persecuted for their faith; it also represents the universality of ACN’s mission, which covers the Church in every continent. Just as ACN has stood with these witnesses of Christ all over the world, its logo stands as a reminder that faith is capable of healing the wounds of humanity and bringing unity where there is division.

First steps: helping German refugees and priests behind the Iron Curtain

ACN was originally created to help German refugees following the Second World War, but soon increased its scope to include support for Christians in countries living under totalitarian regimes, especially in Eastern Europe, where they suffered persecution under communism.

In its first years, ACN focused on offering material aid to priests who worked under extremely difficult conditions in countries within the Soviet bloc. By the 50s, the foundation was already sending aid to countries behind the Iron Curtain, including Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania and Hungary. During these years, ACN supported thousands of priests, religious and laypeople who worked underground to keep the Faith alive in a hostile environment. The delivery of vehicles to priests and the distribution of religious literature played a key role in bolstering the Faith in times of repression.

Following the collapse of the Berlin Wall and of the communist regime in 1989, ACN increased its presence in Eastern Europe, and since 1990 the foundation has donated over 500 million euros in aid to ensure that the Church rises from the ashes in former communist countries.

Over a decade of aid to Christians in the Middle East

Currently, ACN not only supports communities in Eastern Europe, but is also committed to providing aid to Christians in places where they are subject to extreme persecution, such as in the Middle East. Following the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011, and the invasion of Iraq by the Islamic State in 2014, ACN helped thousands of displaced Christians, providing shelter, food, medical care and supporting the reconstruction of destroyed churches and houses to prevent the complete exodus of the Christian community.

Persecuted Christians in Africa: a continent in crisis

In response to growing persecution by jihadist groups set on imposing a radical version of Islam in many parts of Africa, ACN has launched  multiple projects in this continent, aimed at strengthening the local Church, offering humanitarian aid to the displaced and supporting victims of terrorist attacks. In Nigeria, for instance, ACN has worked on the rebuilding of churches and priests’ houses that were destroyed in the violence and is also helping displaced Christians in the northeast. In the Sahel region, especially in Burkina Faso, ACN supports communities that have lost everything, providing food, medicine and education.

Amidst the violence and the difficulties, the Church in Africa, Asia and the Middle East continues to be a powerful witness of hope. Despite the chaos, Christians and other religious communities strive for peace and coexistence. ACN stands side-by-side with these brave witnesses of the Faith, helping them to resist and fostering hope since, as Pope Francis says, “nothing, and nobody, can separate us from the love of Christ”, not even the most terrible persecutions and tribulations.