The head of ACN Portugal stated: “Our goal is to invite each person who visits our booth, the exhibitions and conferences we will be holding, and also the films we will be projecting, to delve deeper into the subject of Christian persecution.”
One of the main venues for these initiatives will be the Martyrs Basilica in the Chiado neighborhood. Here, ACN will hold an exhibition featuring Christian artifacts desecrated in Iraq during the occupation by Islamic State jihadists. The exhibition aims to showcase the brutal experiences of the country’s Christians.
The basilica will also host a conference with testimony from two Christians: Joseph Fadelle, an Iraqi convert from Shia Islam who was arrested, tortured, and forced to flee the country, and Rafi Ghattas, a Palestinian Christian from the Holy Land who will speak about the experience of his community, which currently makes up only 1% of the population.
In addition, ACN Portugal has organized a photography exhibition in the cloisters of the old Graça convent that portrays the persecuted Church in the world through personal stories of men and women from different countries who have been examples of faithfulness to Jesus in the face of adversity.
Another initiative being prepared by ACN for World Youth Day is the showing of several documentaries about the lives of people whose faith is tested every day. These will be on exhibition at the São Jorge cinema.
“We hope to be able to plant a seed in their hearts, a desire to also take part in this mission of helping and standing in solidarity with persecuted Christians and the Church in Need,” Martins de Bettencourt added.