A new campaign of support for persecuted Christians may soon find Catholic churches across America filled with parishioners sporting the color of modern martyrdom – orange.FoxNews.com is reporting on the campaign sweeping through American churches that is calling upon Christians to show solidarity with the suffering Church by wearing the same color as the jump suits worn by captives of the terrorist group, ISIS who were beheaded on a Libyan beach two months ago.
Whether it’s an orange sweater or dress or even just a ribbon pinned to a shirt collar, Christians are being urged to heed Pope Francis’ plea to remember – and to pray for – the world’s persecuted Christians.
This desire was on the heart of Father Frank Karwacki, of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Mount Carmel, Pa., who encouraged members of his congregation to wear the color to Mass on Sunday.
“We are all brothers and sisters in Christ,” Father Karwacki told FoxNews.com. “It’s so sad how they are being tortured—we need to get prayer power going.”
Although his congregation has been praying regularly for persecuted Christians, he was moved to do more after learning about the brutal executions of Christians by ISIS militants in the Middle East, as well as the group’s destruction of ancient churches.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church,Mt. Carmel, PA
“They destroyed those ancient churches and killed so many of our Catholics there,” he said. “I’m hoping that other parishes and churches” join the orange campaign.
Father Karwacki isn’t alone. Fellow Catholic and writer Rey Flores recently declared “Orange is the New Color of Martyrdom” in an article appearing in the Wanderer, and drew attention to the #orangejumpsuit project being run by Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Church on the Hill in Washington DC. Mahoney’s project relies on social media and encourages people to wear orange to raise awareness of the plight of Christians around the world.
Ribbons for Rescue is another effort spreading through New Hampshire which is encouraging people to wear orange to draw attention to Christian prisoners and to call on lawmakers to provide more financial assistance for Christian refugees in the Middle East. So far more than a dozen churches in New Hampshire have joined in the effort and organizers are hoping it will spread to other states.
“We call on people to wear orange daily,” said the project’s founder, Lydia O’Leary, to FoxNews. It says “we’re standing with you on this—you’re not alone.”
What can you do in your parish?
