FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — More than 2 million Americans gathered across Catholic dioceses, Greek Orthodox parishes, Hindu temples, Black churches and evangelical congregations on Oct. 18 for Stand Up Sunday, a coordinated day of action against rising hate toward religious communities.
The initiative, organized by the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, nearly doubled participation from last year's 1.5 million congregants across 100 houses of worship.
"What started in our congregation at St. Luke's in 2024 has grown into a nationwide movement reaching more than two million people," said Dr. Bob Long, senior pastor at St. Luke's Methodist Church in Foxborough, where the initiative originated. "This is what happens when faith communities stand together."
The participating institutions included the Catholic Archdioceses of New York, New Jersey, Washington and Boston; the Diocese of Brooklyn; the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; the Armenian Diocese of America; BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha; African Methodist Episcopal congregations; Presbyterian churches; evangelical and non-denominational Christian communities; and Hindu temples.
Adam Katz, president of the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, said the gathering was a direct response to rising bigotry. "By coming together behind the Blue Square, leaders from all faiths are sending a clear message that bigotry and intolerance have no place in our society," Katz said, referencing the blue square symbol distributed as a visible show of solidarity.
The coalition emerged amid documented increases in antisemitic incidents and hate crimes targeting religious minorities. Research cited by the Blue Square Alliance found that people of faith are 32% more likely to say it's very important to advocate for Jewish communities and 13% more likely to report they would address antisemitic hate if they witnessed it.
Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America issued an encyclical read at participating Orthodox churches on Oct. 18, calling the day a commitment to reject antisemitism and all forms of hatred. Bishop Edmund Whalen of the Archdiocese of New York connected the effort to Catholic teaching, quoting recent papal guidance: "To invoke God's name in order to justify violence or oppression is to profane that name."
Bawa Jain, secretary general of the World Council of Religious Leaders, emphasized the interconnected nature of the threat. "An attack against one is an attack on all of us," Jain said, noting that Hindu temples continue to experience vandalism and attacks. "Let us stand in solidarity with each other and strive to rid our society of the plague of hate."
Karen Dresbach, executive vice president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, underscored the moral dimension. "Our collective voices will resonate. We are all God's children. Together we can silence the voices of hate and the perpetrators of violence."
All participating congregations dedicated their Oct. 18 services to raising awareness about rising hate against religious communities. Attendees received blue square pins as a tangible reminder of their commitment to interfaith solidarity.
The Stand Up Sunday initiative connects to the Appeal of Conscience Foundation's broader "Respect the Other" campaign, which has operated since 2001 in response to escalating attacks on houses of worship. The foundation's work rests on the premise that standing up for one another's differences strengthens all faith values and beliefs.
Those seeking to participate in the ongoing effort can request blue square pins through the Blue Square Alliance website, signaling that Stand Up Sunday functions as an ongoing recruitment tool for sustained interfaith coalition-building against hate.
