Being a priest or religious sister today is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. The number of priests and religious kidnapped increased in 2024, while the numbers arrested for reasons of persecution diminished. In total, ACN registered 122 cases impacting priests and religious, including 13 murders, 38 kidnappings and 71 held under arrest. Ten of these incidents involved women, eight of whom were kidnapped and two arrested.

ACN launched ‘Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2022-24’ , highlighting the reality that Christian persecution has significantly worsened in most countries. We examined the situation for Christians in 18 countries of key concern between summer 2022 and summer 2024. Our findings provide global and regional analysis from Nicaragua in Latin America to Myanmar in the Far East to Burkina Faso in West Africa.

The ACN Week of Witness from 25 November to 1 December will be held every year with talks and exhibitions throughout the country on the theme of Christian persecution.

Today, we will look at the deepening crisis in the other three countries where Christian persecution has worsened: the Central African Republic, India, and Sri Lanka.

Education in China is used for social conditioning. In some regions pupils were reportedly made to sign a statement saying they will “promote atheism, and oppose belief in God”.

Over the next few weeks, we will delve into the stories of these people and examine the state of persecution in these countries. As we do, I invite you to ponder what we in the West can do to make a difference for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.