With the start of Religious Freedom Week, some Church leaders in the U.S. shared what the week means on Twitter.

“Let us pray for and give witness to #ReligiousFreedom this week seeking the will of the Father first and His love for us!” Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila said in a tweet before the observance got underway.

He urged people to think about this question during the week: “Am I willing to give my life to #JesusChrist no matter what the cost?”

Bishop W. Shawn McKnight had a similar take on the significance of the week.

"It is a reminder to embrace the divine gift of freedom,” McKnight, bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri, said in his tweet. “May people of all faiths feel free to worship without fear.”

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said the theme for this year is “Embracing the Divine Gift of Freedom.”

Religious Freedom Week started Thursday. It kicks off on the feast day of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher. The day is a meaningful one for the Church as it marks the bravery of two saints who were beheaded by King Henry VIII of England in 1535, the University of Notre Dame reported in Faith ND, an alumni association newsletter.

St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher had to choose between appeasing Henry VIII or adhering to their religious beliefs. They decided to put their faith first as they refused to condone the king's divorce or acknowledge his subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn. Taking a stand against the king meant they paid the ultimate price, Faith ND said in its report. St. Thomas More was executed on June 22, 1535, and St. John Fisher was put to death nine days later.

The week encompasses several shared celebratory days. Besides the feast of St. Thomas More and John Fisher, there is the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (celebrated June 24), and the feast of St. Peter and Paul (June 29).

The week offers time for the faithful time to pray, seek inspiration from the saints as models of faithful citizenship, and to take action in areas that pose threats to religious freedom, the USCCB release said.

This year, the USCCB has asked the faithful to offer prayers and action on several global threats to religious freedom. These include: the ongoing religious persecution in Nigeria, the importance of Catholic healthcare, immigration concerns and the protection of religious freedom for Catholic institutions like schools and hospitals, the USCCB said.

Catholics are tasked with praying about a different topic each day of the week. This year’s schedule, according to the USCCB, is: June 22 - Respect for Sacred Places, June 23 - Seal of Confession, June 24 - Nicaragua, June 25 - Religious Student Groups, June 26 - Religious Freedom in Nigeria, June 27 - Faith at Work, June 28 - Service to Immigrants and Refugees, and June 29 - Catholic Healthcare.