Christian World | Churches worldwide mark the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Nov. 1, with Open Doors focusing on Christians in the Middle East

ACW | November 1, 2026 — Churches around the world are marking the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Sunday, November 1, held each year on the first Sunday of November, according to The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM).

VOM has asked families, groups and churches to pray for Christians in "hostile areas and restricted nations," and says prayer for persecuted believers continues throughout November.

Open Doors US said congregations worldwide will unite this year in prayer for "our brothers and sisters in the Middle East."

International Christian Concern (ICC) features stories from India, Pakistan and Nigeria in its planning guide and is hosting a virtual prayer call on Monday, November 2. Citing Open Doors' World Watch List, ICC says "more than 380 million Christians globally face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith."

VOM is also sharing the story of a convert on the Arabian Peninsula who was disowned by his family and jailed after leaving Islam but keeps sharing his faith, The Christian Post reported.

Background: Pakistan is among the countries featured by ICC this year. The brother of Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan's late minister for minority affairs, recently said the country's Christians live under constant threat from extremism; read ACW's report.

Why it matters: About one in seven Christians worldwide faces high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith, according to ICC, citing the World Watch List. VOM describes the day as a chance for the global church to unite in prayer for "our persecuted Christian family members."

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: The Voice of the Martyrs — International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church; Open Doors US — IDOP resources; International Christian Concern — IDOP planning guide; The Christian Post — IDOP report

Photo: The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM)