Europe's first shrine dedicated to persecuted Christians opened in central London on September 8.

The Shrine of Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians, was dedicated to the faithful yesterday on the occasion of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Shrine was inaugurated in London, England, at the Ordinariate Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Gregory, in Soho district. The shrine is officially entitled to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians.

"This will certainly be the first shrine in Europe dedicated to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians. It will be a true place of prayer for the persecuted Church," Father Benedict Keely, a longtime spokesman for persecuted Christians worldwide, said in an email on Sept. 6.

When planning to build the shrine, Fr Kiely said: "I hope that this church, in the heart of London, very close to Piccadilly Circus, will become a centre of prayer - for all those who come from places where the Church is persecuted - Nigerians, Syrians, Indians, Iraqis - so many, to come and pray.

“Furthermore, I hope that we in the West will regularly come and pray for our brothers and sisters and find courage and strength for whatever trials we may face in standing up for ourselves as Christ's witnesses. "I believe this church is very necessary because the persecution of the church is rarely mentioned in the mainstream media," he said.

An image of Our Lady written in Aramaic as "Mother of the Persecuted" can be seen in this church. This image was painted by Sister Souraya, a Melkite nun from Lebanon.