Christians under siege: the human face of persecution around the world

Amid a climate of growing hostility, the persecution of Christians around the world has reached alarming levels. Beyond numbers and statistics, thousands of personal stories reflect the suffering of entire communities forced to live in the shadows.

In Africa, violence in Nigeria has claimed more than 50,000 Christian lives since 2009. Displaced families recount how their villages were razed in the night, with no possibility of resistance against armed groups. In the northeast of the country, Grace, a 19-year-old girl, was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam before miraculously escaping after months of captivity.

Meanwhile, in Syria, Christians who survived the civil war now face domination by extremist groups. In Aleppo, the community of St. Elijah fears the imposition of new laws that would make them second-class citizens. “We don’t want another war, but we don’t want to be invisible either,” says Elias, a Christian shopkeeper who has seen many of his neighbors disappear.

In Latin America, Daniel Ortega’s regime in Nicaragua is tightening its control over the Catholic Church. During Holy Week in 2025, processions were banned and sermons were monitored. “Preaching the Gospel has become an act of courage,” says an anonymous priest who has opted for discretion to avoid reprisals.

According to the most recent Open Doors report, more than 380 million Christians worldwide suffer some form of persecution, whether extreme violence, legal restrictions, or social discrimination. However, beyond the numbers, each story reveals the human cost of a faith put to the test.