About IDOP
The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) is a global call to united prayer for Christians who face discrimination, hostility and violence because of their faith. It is convened by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) through its Religious Liberty Commission, and any church can take part free of charge.
Why we pray
More than 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith, according to Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List. For some, that means violence and the loss of home or family. For others, it means arrest, prosecution or a church closed by the authorities.
Scripture calls us to stand with them:
Hebrews 13:3
IDOP is not simply a day of prayer. It is a yearly act of solidarity with the part of Christ's body that is paying the highest cost.
When
IDOP is held on the first two Sundays of November. In 2026, those are 1 November and 8 November.
Churches choose the Sunday that suits their own tradition. Many mark All Saints' Day on 1 November, while in the UK and Commonwealth the second Sunday of November is Remembrance Sunday. Offering both Sundays lets every church find a date that works.
November falls in the season of All Saints', when the Church has traditionally remembered its martyrs.
Who takes part
IDOP began as an evangelical initiative 30 years ago. Today it is also observed by Catholic and mainline churches and by ministries around the world, several of which now run IDOP campaigns of their own. We welcome that: the persecuted Church belongs to all of us.
How we handle stories and figures
- We cite published research, name our sources and state their limits.
- We never name a believer, congregation or location at risk without their explicit, current consent.
- We pray for persecuted Christians without claiming that Christians are the only people of faith under pressure.
- We speak with solidarity, not pity. Persecuted believers are the subjects of this story, not its objects.