UCAM students and employees took part in the events held at the Los Jerónimos Campus on the occasion of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, which is commemorated on Wednesday 20 November. In the morning, a Eucharist was celebrated in which prayers were offered for the Christian communities persecuted in various regions of the world due to their faith. The mass was also offered for the souls of two recently deceased professors of the University, Juan Madrid and Vicente Manuel Gómez.

This afternoon, as part of the commemorative events, the tower and façade of the Monastery of Los Jerónimos were symbolically lighted in red. This gesture was carried out in synchrony with churches in different parts of the world, thus joining the Red Week initiative ‘Open your eyes to persecuted Christians’, which is a symbol of prayer and hope for those who have to face tribulations due to their faith. A large number of members of the UCAM academic community joined in the event.

Sergio Rivas, Head of Levante de Ayuda a la Iglesia Necesitada, who attended the activities organised by UCAM, explained that ‘the red lighting is the colour of blood, of martyrdom’ and thanked the University and the UCAM President for ‘their support for this cause’.

In the same vein, Antonio Alcaraz, Vice-Rector of University Outreach, valued this commemoration, stressing that ‘at the university we are mindful today of so many of our brothers and sisters who are suffering persecution for their faith; the lighting of the façade and the tower of our monastery is a sign that we are with them’.