For one more year, World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) organises the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Christians (IDOP), calling on Christians worldwide to unite in prayer for those suffering for their faith.

“Across the world, millions of Christians live in places where following Jesus comes at a great cost. Some estimates put this number as high as 380 million. That’s one in seven Christians worldwide who face persecution for their faith”, recalls Godfrey Yogarajah, WEA ambassador for religious freedom.

He underlines that “for those of us who enjoy freedom to worship, the Bible calls us to stand with those who suffer for their faith”.

“Through prayer, awareness and action, we can bring comfort to those in chains, strength to those in fear, and encouragement to those who stand firm in faith", adds Yogarajah. 

“Faithful to the end”

The IDOP 2025 is taking place on November 2 and 9, under the theme “Faithful to the end”, inspired by Revelation 2:10.

Organisers urge “churches, ministries, and believers around the world to use these days to educate and mobilize your communities to amplify the voices of those who are often unheard, and stand as one body, united in Christ, against the injustices they face”.

“Join us as we remember those who share our faith but not our freedom. Let’s pray that they would remain faithful to the end”, concludes Yogarajah.

The IDOP webpage offers several resources in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Portuguese “designed to help churches pray effectively for the persecuted”.

IDOP in Europe

Most of the European evangelical alliances has chosen Novermber 9 to hold their IDOP events.

The Evangelical Alliance in Germany (EAD) calls on its churches to gather on November 9 in local meetings to pray for the persecuted Christians in Mali, Myanmar und Nicaragua.

“Prayer is and remains the most important thing we can do. By bringing the situations of victims of religious discrimination and violence to the attention of the public, we give them a voice that grows louder until it can no longer be ignored”, says the EAD.

Open Doors Switzerland and the Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA) will join on Sundays November 9 and 16 for the IDOP, also focusing on Mali, Myanmar und Nicaragua.

“When Christians are silenced by persecution, the free Church cannot remain silent. If the Church does not help the Church, who will?”, they point out.

In Spain, the Spanish Evangelical Alliance (AEE) and Open Doors will host a jointly event on November 9, with several speakers, that will be specially focused on persecuted Christians in Middle East.

“Prayer is not the 'least' we can do. It is the best we can offer to our persecuted family because it means identifying with them, uniting with them and sharing their suffering”, stresses the AEE.

The National Council of Evangelicals in France (CNEF), Open Doors France, and the French Protestant Federation have joined to organise the IDOP on November 9, under the theme: "Thus far the Lord has helped us”, based on 1 Samuel 7:12.

For French evangelicals, the IDOP is “a special opportunity to experience unity, not only among ourselves, but also with those who are oppressed. Persecuted Church Sunday helps us to remain vigilant and show solidarity with our brothers and sisters who do not enjoy the same freedom as we do”.

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