07/03/2026
Nearly 400 million Christians around the world face persecution or violence because of their faith, making them the most persecuted religious community globally, says Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva. Speaking on March 3 at the event “Standing with Persecuted Christians: Defending the Faith and Christian Values,” Archbishop Balestrero stressed that the international community must confront the growing crisis of anti-Christian persecution. The archbishop also highlighted the deadly toll of such hostility. “Nearly 5,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2025, an average of about 13 each day,” he noted. While the Church regards those killed for their faith as martyrs—witnesses to their belief—international law recognizes them as victims of grave human rights violations. Balestrero insisted that governments carry the primary responsibility to safeguard religious freedom. “It is the State’s duty to protect freedom of religion or belief, including preventing third parties from violating this right,” he said, noting that impunity remains one of the most serious challenges in addressing religious persecution. Christians across the world face a range of abuses, including violence, imprisonment, property confiscation, forced displacement, and even murder, he added. The problem also affects Europe. According to the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe, more than 2,200 anti-Christian incidents were recorded in 2024, including attacks on churches, vandalism, and legal actions against believers. Archbishop Balestrero warned that more subtle forms of persecution—such as discrimination, social exclusion, and restrictions on expressing Christian beliefs—are also increasing, often going unnoticed but deeply undermining religious freedom.
Discover God’s goodness every day- join Shalom World News! 👉 shalomworld.org/news-whatsapp
Follow Us Shalom World News
