Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland, will participate in London’s Battersea Park Half Marathon on November 14 to raise funds for persecuted Christians worldwide.
The Armenian bishop hopes to raise £5,000 for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an international Catholic charity supporting vulnerable Christian communities. The 21-kilometer (13.1-mile) race will benefit ACN’s #RedWednesday campaign, which raises awareness of religious persecution.
“As a bishop, I know that suffering is neither merely historical nor distant,” Bishop Hovakim told ACN. “Today many Christians suffer around the world… Yet we remain steadfast in prayer, truth and love, trusting that Christ strengthens His people.”
Bishop Hovakim also highlighted ACN’s assistance to communities in Armenia through the Armenian Catholic Church, describing the initiative as an expression of solidarity across Christian traditions.
The bishop has previously participated in charity races supporting Armenian causes. On September 20, he completed a 10-kilometer run to support a camp for children forcibly displaced from Artsakh following Azerbaijan’s September 2023 military offensive and the forced ethnic cleansing of its Armenian population.
His previous races also include the Windsor 5K and Kingston Half Marathon in 2024.
Bishop Hovakim, who initially began running to improve his health, now considers the activity an opportunity for prayer and reflection.
“Running has become much more than exercise for me. It is a kind of therapy and, often, a time of prayer,” he said.
Ahead of the November 14 race, the bishop encouraged donations to ACN, emphasizing the importance of translating Christian solidarity into action.
“As St James teaches, faith without works is dead,” he said.
