Christian CEO Will Carry a Cross Up Englands Highest Mountain in the Dead of Night

CEO of Release International to Carry Wooden Cross Up Scafell Pike in Solidarity With Persecuted Christians

Paul Robinson, the CEO of Release International, is preparing to carry a heavy wooden cross up Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain, as part of the organization's Light Walk challenge.

The event, set to take place in June 2026, will see Robinson and a team of dedicated supporters hike through the night, carrying the cross to the 978 metre summit. They will finish at dawn, raising the cross at the peak before praying and worshipping together.

Robinson said the challenge was inspired by Hebrews 13:3, which reads: "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

We will carry this heavy cross through the night, standing in solidarity with persecuted Christians who endure the harshest trials.

Paul Robinson, CEO of Release International

Robinson acknowledged the physical demands of the climb, saying he has already seen and held the cross, describing it as "quite heavy." But he emphasized that the difficulty is exactly the point.

That's the point! It will be, I believe, a powerful way of identifying with those who face the far greater challenges of persecution for Christ and the gospel.

Paul Robinson

At sunrise, the team plans to raise the cross at the summit of Scafell Pike and unite in fellowship with persecuted believers worldwide. Robinson said they will "proclaim that the light of Jesus cannot be overcome."

When the cross is raised at the top of the mountain, we will raise our voices in prayer and worship, uniting in fellowship with our brothers and sisters whose lives continue to shine the light of Jesus into the darkest parts of the world.

Paul Robinson

Release International is an inter denominational Christian ministry that works through local church partners in more than 25 countries to support Christians who face persecution for their faith. The organization is also encouraging churches across the UK to organize their own local Light Walks in solidarity.

Release International CEO Plans Night Climb of England's Tallest Peak Carrying Cross for Persecuted Believers

The Light Walk initiative calls on UK believers to pray for Christians around the world who cannot practice their faith freely. Supporters are encouraged to organize evening walks through their communities while carrying torches, lanterns, and other forms of light as a visible symbol of standing with the persecuted church.

Scaling Scafell Pike typically takes between three and four hours. The mountain, located in the Lake District in Cumbria, stands as England's tallest peak and presents a significant physical challenge, particularly when navigated in darkness while carrying a large wooden cross.

The Crusader's Opinion

This is what real faith looks like. Not performative Instagram Christianity, not lukewarm Sunday morning routines, but a man willing to carry the weight of a cross up a mountain in the dead of night for brothers and sisters he may never meet. While most of the Western church sleeps comfortably, millions of believers around the world face imprisonment, torture, and death for simply calling on the name of Jesus. Paul Robinson is not just making a statement. He is calling every Christian in this nation to wake up and remember those in chains. If we will not even pray for the persecuted, what kind of church are we? The cross was never meant to be comfortable. It was meant to be carried.

Take Action

• Join a local Light Walk or organize one in your community through Release International's Light Walk Challenge
• Donate to Release International to support persecuted Christians in over 25 countries: releaseinternational.org
• Support The Shepherd's Shield and their mission to defend persecuted believers: www.TheShepherdsShield.org
• Pray daily for the persecuted church using the Release International prayer calendar
• Support Open Doors and their work with persecuted Christians worldwide: www.opendoorsuk.org