Christians under Taliban rule in Afghanistan are among more than 340 million people around the world suffering persecution for practicing their Christian faith. The annual March for the Martyrs will take place in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 25.
“We all see what’s going on in Afghanistan right now,” said Gia Chacon, president of the organization. “Christians are being hunted down and killed This is happening in so many other nations across the world, and so few people are talking about it. More than 1,000 participants, dressed in red, will march for and with all Christian denominations and people of good will. I believe we can all unite around this cause with one voice as the body of Christ in the United States advocating for our persecuted brothers and sisters.”
The march will begin with a rally on the National Mall. From there, participants will follow a route up the mall, past the White House and end with the Night for the Martyrs at the JW Marriott Hotel.
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Scheduled speakers include Nasarean.org founder Father Benedict Kiely; Open Doors USA President David Curry; ChinaAid founder Bob Fu; musician and speaker Sean Feucht; In Defense of Christians President Toufic Baaklini: former U.S. Commissioner on International Religious Freedom the Rev. Johnnie Moore; and Relatable podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey. The Catholic Connect Foundation, Open Doors USA, In Defense of Christians, Liberty University’s Freedom Center and Students for Life have signed on as official cosponsors.
“Jesus people of all different backgrounds need to rally as one for those who are persecuted, oppressed and murdered for their faith in Jesus,” Curry said. “March for the Martyrs is the moment to let our collective voice be heard.”
The March for the Martyrs made history on Sept. 5, 2020, when hundreds of Christians across all denominations of Christianity marched to stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians around the world. It was and continues to be the United States’ first and only large-scale march representing persecuted Christians.
The march is organized by For the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that seeks to raise awareness about the crisis of Christian persecution, advocate for religious freedom and provide aid to suffering Christians across the globe. It was established in 2019.