Faith Under Fire: Holy Week and the Reality of Persecuted Christians

Holy Week is one of the most sacred periods for Christians. It is a time of reflection, contemplation, and celebration of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, while in many parts of the world people live freely, in other corners, celebrating the Christian faith can cost their lives.

According to various reports from international organizations such as Open Doors and ACN (Aid to the Church in Need), more than 360 million Christians live in countries where they suffer high levels of persecution. This includes restrictions on assembly, discrimination in employment or education, physical violence, unjust imprisonment, and even murder.

Countries such as North Korea, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Somalia top the list of places where professing the Christian faith is considered a crime or grounds for repression. Churches are burned, believers are monitored, and in some cases, they must meet in secret to pray or share the Eucharist. In these contexts, Holy Week is not celebrated with processions or packed churches, but with a silence that protects lives.

This contrast between religious freedom in some countries and repression in others invites us to experience Holy Week not only as a liturgical commemoration, but also as an act of solidarity with those who, like Jesus, bear the cross of persecution. Remembering them in our prayers and raising our voices for their right to religious freedom is also a way of living the message of love and justice that this sacred week represents.