Global increase in Christian persecution: one in seven affected

Persecution and discrimination against Christians has experienced a worrying increase worldwide, affecting approximately 380 million faithful, equivalent to one in seven Christians, according to recent reports from various specialized organizations.

The Open Doors organization, in its 2025 World Watch List, reveals that between October 2023 and September 2024, 4,476 Christians were killed for their faith, with Nigeria accounting for 69% of these deaths. In addition, 3,604 Christians were arrested and 1,140 were sentenced without trial. North Korea tops the list of countries with the highest rates of persecution, followed by Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan.

In Europe, the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) documented 2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes in 35 countries during 2023. These incidents range from everyday oppression to acts of extreme violence.

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), in its 2023 report on religious freedom, notes that persecution based on faith has intensified in 61 of the 196 countries analyzed. The organization highlights an increase in attacks perpetrated by pro-abortion groups and advocates of gender ideology against Christian communities.

At the national level, the Observatory for Religious Freedom and Conscience reports that 72% of attacks on religious freedom in Spain during 2023 were directed against Christians, with the Catholic faith being the most affected, accounting for 55% of cases.

These data reflect an alarming trend of growing hostility toward Christians in various regions of the world, highlighting the need for urgent measures to protect religious freedom and ensure the safety of affected communities.