Christmas offers no respite to persecuted Christians: a cruel global reality
During this Christmas season, marked by celebrations in numerous countries, the persecution of Christians has not subsided; in fact, it has intensified in many places, overshadowing the traditional idea of peace and truce associated with Christmas.
In Nigeria, one of the most dangerous places in the world for followers of Jesus, Christian communities suffered violence just before and during Christmas. At least 20 people were killed in coordinated attacks in Benue and Plateau states days before December 25, according to reports from organizations on the ground, and there were reports of kidnappings and torture of civilians considered Christian by the attackers.
Furthermore, extremist jihadist groups continue to hunt Christians in the central region of the country, one of the main hotspots of religious violence, reinforcing a critical situation that has been repeated in recent years, even during the holidays.
In India, several states recorded incidents of vandalism, attacks on Christmas decorations, and community tension during the Christmas season, fueled by a rising tide of anti-Christian violence and justified in some cases under controversial “anti-conversion” laws. These events occurred against a backdrop of numerous reports of attacks against Christians in 2025.
The persecution is not limited to sub-Saharan Africa or the Indian subcontinent. In China, Christian communities face harsher repression than ever before, with arrests of religious leaders and state pressure on unregistered churches, further jeopardizing religious freedom during the Christmas season.
These situations reflect broader data: according to the World Watch List 2025 report, at least 4,476 Christians were killed in the past year for their faith, with extreme tensions in countries such as North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, and Libya, and an increase in arrests and attacks against churches.
Far from being a time of universal truce, Christmas 2025 has been for many Christians a painful reminder of the persistent and brutal persecution they suffer for their faith in different corners of the planet.