On Christmas and Easter each year, the eyes of Christians turn to Bethlehem and Jerusalem—the place of Jesus’ birth and ministry. Yet many do not see the suffering of their Palestinian Christian siblings, who still shepherd the ancient flame of faith in the land where it all began. In fact, many of the loudest voices opposing human rights for Palestinians use the name of Jesus to defend these injustices.
By bringing together peace and justice organizations under one shared banner, Red Candle invites the global Church to let the light of solidarity shine during these holy seasons. Together, we can reclaim the holidays as sacred times to stand with the Church in the land of Christ’s birth—making space within our holiday rituals to remember, pray for, and act alongside all who long for peace and justice in the Holy Land.
We envision the Church united around a peaceful and flourishing Holy Land where all people—Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, believer and non-believer—live together in equality, dignity, and freedom.
To this end, Red Candle invites Christians around the world to stand in costly solidarity with the people of the Holy Land—rejecting apathy and theological distortions like Christian Zionism that sanctify violence. Soon, Red Candle imagines that when Christians turn to Bethlehem and Jerusalem during the holidays, they will recenter Jesus’ radical call to peacemaking and let it fuel their advocacy for peace and justice—particularly for their Palestinian siblings in Christ.
For Palestinian Christians the color red symbolizes the blood of Christ and themes of life, rebirth, and resurrection. Red also signifies the Palestinian people, features heavily in traditional dress elements, and is the color of the unofficial national flower, the poppy.
Followers of Jesus are called to be the light of the world through their loving-action, bringing the hope of Jesus to those walking in dark and difficult situations. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Lighting the candle reminds us of our call to loving-action for those suffering and symbolizes hope for the Palestinian people who are facing terrible injustice and violence.
Any red candle will do, but in the spirit of holistic solidarity we encourage you to shop small, local, and (if possible) Palestinian! Look up fair trade stores in your area or go to a local craft market. Sustainable and local vendors can also be found on websites like Etsy or local community social media pages. Here are a couple of options:
If you can’t get a red candle in time, any color candle can work! Perhaps consider adding a red tablecloth, ornament, icon, or other element to your tradition instead.
Lighting the candle was designed to be a weekly practice during Advent, with the goal of having as many people as possible light the Red Candle on December 23. That said, individuals, families, and communities can decide what works best for them! No matter what you decide, there are resources available to guide you all Advent long!
Red Candle isn’t just a symbol; it’s an embodied practice and commitment. By signing the Red Candle solidarity pledge you are committing to and showing support for this movement of peace in the Holy Land. This pledge allows each of us to affirm our shared belief in peace, justice, and the love of God for all human beings as those bearing God’s image. You are publicly declaring your participation in this work, committing to take sacrificial action to spread and represent Jesus’ light of hope and love, and joining into a community working for a better future for everyone.
Sharing your involvement with Red Candle not only helps to grow awareness, but also gives others the courage to join in the call for peace and justice in Palestine. We encourage you to talk with your friends and loved ones about Red Candle. When sharing online, it can be as simple as posting a picture of your Red Candle with a link to this webpage or recording a video explaining why you are getting involved.
You could even consider talking to your pastor or church leaders about incorporating the Red Candle services during Advent. We also encourage you to share your involvement with local leaders and political representatives, inviting them to join you in your call to peace. Check out the links to our resource page for all sorts of tips, tricks, scripts, and guidance in sharing the light.
While Red Candle does not take financial contributions, we encourage you to donate to the ongoing initiatives of our partner organizations.
Red Candle grew out of a gathering for American Christian leaders and Palestinian Christian theologians hosted by the peacemaking organization Telos in March 2025. A group of Christian leaders—with the fiscal sponsorship of Telos and the support of some of their staff—volunteer to manage the campaign. We hope to grow Red Candle into a global initiative in the coming months and years.
As Christians, we believe in and are called to support the dignity of all human beings. It is also important to acknowledge how the name of Jesus has been misused to sanctify hate and violence, like antisemitism, Islamaphobia, and anti-Palestinian bigotry. Our witness in the Holy Land must account for the reality that our faith is sometimes wielded as a weapon of oppression, instead of treated as a call for liberation.
Many of our partners, however, do take explicit political positions. Because so many of the injustices committed against Palestinians are carried out with US taxpayer dollars, weapons, and political support, we encourage you to explore political advocacy—an essential part of the peacemaker’s journey—as a way of promoting a future free from occupation, injustice, and violence. For guidance in political advocacy check out some of our partner organizations.
Red Candle supports the dignity of all human beings. We believe we are all created equal, in the image of God. All of us are beloved. This is true for Palestinians and Israelis—regardless of their religion. We believe it is our duty, no matter how costly, to stand up for human dignity and freedom for all people.
Yet we believe the active genocide—against both Palestinian Muslims and Christians—requires an urgent response. Our focus must necessarily be on stopping the killing and erasure of the Palestinian people—including Palestinian Christians who are the world’s oldest Christian community—and promoting a reality free from occupation, injustice, and violence.
As Christians, we further recognize how our faith has sometimes been used to sanctify hate and violence, like antisemitism, Islamaphobia, and anti-Palestinian bigotry. Our witness in the Holy Land must account for the reality that our faith has sometimes been used as a weapon of oppression, instead of a call for liberation.
Ultimately, we believe there is no good future for any Palestinian or Israeli without a good reality for everyone. A reversal of fortunes is not justice, but a reformulation of injustice. And so we always clearly name the need to work towards the mutual flourishing of all, of which the first step is ending the active genocide against Palestinians.
While Red Candle was created for a Christian audience centered around Christmas and Easter, you are welcome to participate in Red Candle regardless of your religious background. We hope in future years to develop more resources for people from Jewish, Muslim, and other religions to participate in a way that resonates with their unique religious expression.