By the personal initiative of the Syriac Catholic priest in Sweden, Father Paul Qass Dawood, the Church of Mar Asia the Wise in Södertälje, south of Stockholm, held a celebratory Mass yesterday in commemoration of the Red Week (November 18-24). This annual event aims to highlight the persecution faced by Christians around the world and the fundamental right to religious freedom.

In an interview with Father Dawood pointed out that the event carries four messages: "First, a message to the world that thinks Christian persecution was confined to ancient and medieval times and has ended today. Some are surprised by the killing of Christians in our time for their faith, especially with the rise of atheism in Europe and many feeling that Christianity is outdated.

He continued: "The second message is to the persecuted people to let them know that there are those who stand in solidarity with them. When I was serving in Aleppo, Syria, during the war, Christians felt deeply the lack of external attention. The difficulties were numerous, including those faced by church servants and lay leaders who struggled to fulfill their mission under shelling and bombardment.

He added: "The third message is directed to us, the Christians in the diaspora; there is a necessity for spiritual solidarity with Eastern Christians, to pray for and support them. The final message is directly addressed to the persecutors, to tell them that there are people who are aware of their crimes and will continue to report them. Even if human justice hasn't taken its course, divine justice will undoubtedly hold them accountable.

Dawood revealed that the idea of Red Week is not well-known among most Eastern Christians in Sweden. Therefore, he focused on explaining it in his sermon, using a visual presentation depicting the cross against a red background with olive branches, highlighting some landmarks that were colored in red in previous years.

Dawood concluded: "Yesterday was the 'Sunday of the Annunciation to Zechariah' according to the Syriac liturgy. I explained in the sermon the similarity between Zechariah's condition, considering himself marginalized and unable to have children, and the persecuted Christian who might feel the same way.

It is worth mentioning that the Syrian Catholic community in Sweden has five priests serving ten missions, comprising more than two thousand families. Therefore, it is considered one of the largest and most flourishing Syrian Catholic communities in Europe in terms of both birth rate and achievements in education, work, and church service.