Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
The Cathedral Parish in Melbourne joined the international Red November initiative
November 21, 2025
In November, the Cathedral Parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Melbourne joined the international initiative “Red November”, organised by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to support persecuted Christians around the world.
This year, Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok was among the ambassadors for the Red November initiative in Australia and New Zealand.
On Tuesday, 18 November, the faithful gathered to pray the Rosary for Christians who suffer for their faith, and on Wednesday, 19 November, the Cathedral celebrated the Divine Liturgy for persecuted Christians, presided over by Bishop Mykola, Cardinal Bychok, together with the clergy of the Cathedral.
In his homily, Bishop Mykola reflected on the passage from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 4:1–12), emphasising that Red Wednesday and Red November are not merely symbolic gestures, but a call to prayer, solidarity, and concrete action. He noted that in more than fifty countries around the world, Christians continue to face discrimination, violence, imprisonment, or even martyrdom simply because they remain faithful to Christ.
Bishop Mykola also spoke about the history of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the challenges faced today by the faithful in Ukraine. He reminded everyone that after the Second World War, the UGCC was banned by the Soviet regime, and its bishops and priests were imprisoned or sent to labour camps. ”For decades the Ukrainian Catholic Church survived only through clandestine liturgies, hidden catechism, and the courageous witness of martyrs whose blood became the seed of renewal,” he noted. He also referred to the present situation in the occupied territories of Ukraine, where parishes are being closed, priests are threatened or persecuted, and the faithful are deprived of the freedom to pray.
In his homily, Bishop Mykola emphasised, ”For those persecuted, holiness becomes an act of resistance, charity becomes a lifeline, and perseverance becomes a proclamation of faith stronger than fear. Our task is to stand beside them. Through prayer, through advocacy, through practical support, we affirm that the Body of Christ is one. When one member suffers, we all suffer. When one member remains faithful under pressure, the entire Church is strengthened.”
A special guest at the Liturgy was Bernard Toutounji, National Director of Aid to the Church in Need in Australia, who expressed his gratitude for the support of ACN’s initiatives and for the community’s prayerful solidarity with persecuted Christians.
For several days, the Cathedral was illuminated in red light as a sign of remembrance for the blood of the martyrs and solidarity with those who today continue to risk their freedom and their lives for the sake of the Gospel.
Photo: Michael Wong
