New Jersey Faith Leaders Unite for Religious Freedom at Interfaith Candlelight Vigil

One by one, on a wintery Saturday, clergy representing different faith traditions entered the New Jersey Family Church of Clifton carrying candles. Each leader then lit their candle and shared sacred scripture from their tradition reflecting on a common theme: bringing divine light into a world darkened by suffering.

On December 13, 2025, 90 people—including 25 guests—gathered for “Light of Humanity,” the third event in the community’s Faith, Freedom, and Peace series. Bringing together representatives of Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Catholic, and Scientology communities, the evening centered on religious freedom, hope in times of persecution, and the responsibility of faith communities to stand together when others are vulnerable.

Following the opening candle lighting, a panel discussion brought those themes into the personal experiences of participants. Panelists shared how their faith had served as an anchor of hope through periods of difficulty and reflected on how people from different religious traditions can work together to protect those facing persecution.

The gathering also drew attention to the detention of Dr. Hak Ja Han, known as the Mother of Peace, in South Korea. A video presentation offered attendees a closer look at her circumstances and invited participants to consider her situation within the broader struggle for religious freedom around the world. The presentation was followed by musical performances from two vocalists, creating a reflective pause as participants considered the evening’s messages of faith and solidarity.

Those ideas soon took physical form.

In one of the evening’s central moments, a Muslim woman and a Christian woman approached the “Bridge of Peace” from opposite sides. The two crossed the bridge together, offering a simple image of reconciliation across religious differences and the shared values capable of bringing people together.

That spirit extended to the candlelight vigil that followed. Each attendee lit a candle from the same central flame before the gathering moved outside. Together, participants walked silently around the block, carrying their candles through the neighborhood in prayer.

What had begun with individual faith leaders bringing light from their respective traditions into the gathering became a shared flame carried outward by the entire community.

The evening reflected a principle at the heart of Peace Starts With Me: peace can begin within an individual, but it does not end there. By listening to the experiences of other faith communities, standing together for religious freedom, and choosing reconciliation across differences, individuals can help create relationships capable of carrying that peace further.

After the candlelight walk, participants returned inside for dinner and fellowship, sharing reflections and strengthening relationships formed throughout the evening.

Against the darkness of a December night, 90 individual candles offered a quiet final image of the gathering’s message. Different traditions had entered the room with their own prayers, scriptures, and experiences, but participants ultimately carried their light into the community together—a reminder that even in times of persecution and uncertainty, hope grows brighter when it is shared.