China ramps up crackdown on Christians amid global political pressures

 

A state-approved Catholic church in Beijing, China.

 

A leading Christian non-profit has warned that the official persecution of believers is intensifying in China after major raids and arrests of church leaders and congregants in recent months.

Christian missionary organization, named China among the worst countries to be a Christian in its annual World Watch List.

China was ranked just below Afghanistan, India and Saudi Arabia.

"Our church struggles to find a safe venue without fear of being reported," said Judy Yang, a representative of an unregistered church who answered questions from the ABC under a pseudonym for fear of arrest.

"Along with the possible risk of being monitored … parents are also [forced] to exclude … children under 18 years old from attending any religious activities."

In early January, Chinese authorities raided the homes and offices of people associated with the Early Rain Covenant Church and arrested nine people.

One of those detained was "suspected of national security–related crimes", according to an update from the church to its members.

Citing lawyers for the detained Christians, US-based organization China Aid said "in most cases the authorities have not presented formal legal documents to the families".

"The specific charges and detention locations remain unclear," it said.

Congregants attend a service at a state-approved Three-Self church in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, China. 

 

The raids came after Chinese authorities arrested dozens of Zion Church network pastors and church leaders in October.

"What is being suppressed is not just one congregation or one group of people — it is the church in China as a whole, standing at a historic crossroads," a statement from Zion Church leaders said at the time.

The 2026 World Watch List report said members of unregistered churches were particularly vulnerable to "surveillance, harassment, imprisonment, abduction, and physical abuse".

"This targeting often achieves another stated aim of the authorities: intimidating entire congregations," it said.

Freedom of religious belief is ostensibly guaranteed by China's constitution, but the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is officially atheist and only recognizes two Christian bodies.

Those are the heavily controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement for Protestants and the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, which operates independently of the Vatican.

"Any time there is global political churn … it does seem like there's increased focus on those registered churches.

"Generally, there's suspicion that Chinese Christians are connected to Christian communities around the world, and some indirect or direct criticism finds its way out like that."

Under President Xi Jinping, the government has sought to "Sinicise religion" and force faiths with their cultural center outside China — such as Christianity and Islam — to adopt "Chinese characteristics".

University of Westminster Chinese studies professor Gerda Wielander said Mr Xi had "severely tightened control of all religions, reducing the previously available 'grey' spaces in which much religious activity was tolerated".

Since 2017, the Chinese government has also targeted ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslims under the guise of preventing terrorism.

US says Nigeria must ‘protect Christians’ at security talks

 

Trump 

 

The United States said Nigeria “must do more to protect Christians” following a mass kidnapping across several churches in Kaduna state, as a high-level security meeting kicked off in Abuja Thursday.

But in a speech, a senior State Department official leading the US delegation omitted any mention of Muslim victims of violence in the country.

The remarks come as Abuja has been under diplomatic pressure by Washington over violence that US President Donald Trump says amounts to “genocide” and “persecution” of Christians. 

That framing is rejected by the Nigerian government and independent analysts in the country, which faces overlapping security challenges that kill both Muslim and Christian civilians alike.

“The government of Nigeria must do more to protect Christians and their right to practise their faith freely and safely,” said Allison Hooker, State Department under secretary for political affairs, referencing the kidnapping of more than 170 people from several churches.

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Hooker is the highest US government official to visit Nigeria under the Trump administration.

The attack in Kaduna state Sunday was the latest mass abduction to rock the country, blamed on armed gangs known as “bandits”.

Further controversy was stirred after police initially denied that the attack happened.

Nigeria has emerged from the worst of the US pressure campaign, with Trump last year threatening unilateral military intervention.

But Hooker’s focus on Christian victims shows Abuja will have to continue to grapple with Washington’s agenda as the two countries advance security cooperation following joint strikes on militants late last year.

“We are here to discuss how we can work together to deter violence against Christian communities,” Hooker told the Nigerian delegation, according to prepared remarks. 

Other US priorities include “countering terrorism and insecurity; investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable; and reducing the number of killings, forced displacements, and abductions of Christians in the north central states”.

Muslim victims of armed groups were not mentioned.

Nigeria is battling a slew of armed groups.

Bandit gangs raid villages and conduct kidnappings for ransom across the northwest, while a jihadist insurgency in the northeast has raged since 2009, killing both Christians and Muslims.

The centre of the country sees clashes between mostly Christian farmers and Muslim Fulani herders, though researchers say the conflict flares over dwindling resources rather than religion.

As Nigeria came under US pressure late last year, a brazen kidnapping at St. Mary’s Catholic school in Niger state saw more than 250 students abducted.

Hooker Thursday falsely said all the victims of the St. Mary’s kidnapping were Christian.

“On the protection of Christians, the Nigerian government recently secured the release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara state, and another 265 abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic school,” she said.

The school includes students who are Muslims, some of whom were kidnapped.

“We have Muslims amongst them,” Daniel Atori, a spokesman for the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state.

Indonesian bishop who renounced red hat resigns over ‘conflict’

 Indonesian Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur of Bogor is pictured during Pope Leo XIV's weekly general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Jan. 7, 2026. Bishop Syukur, who in October 2024 declined to become a cardinal, announced Jan. 19 he has resigned amid allegations of mismanagement in the diocese.

 

BOGOR, Indonesia (OSV News) — Indonesian Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur of Bogor, who declined to become a cardinal, has resigned amid allegations of mismanagement in the diocese.

Bishop Syukur, 63, announced his resignation before the diocesan curial council Jan. 19, and the Vatican accepted it, according to sources in the diocese.

The Vatican has appointed Bishop Christophorus Tri Harsono of Purwokerto as the apostolic administrator until a new bishop is appointed.

Bishop Syukur said he resigned “not with a sense of loss but with freedom of heart,” and did not see it “as a human and worldly defeat.”

“I resigned not because I was guilty, but because I love the brotherhood and unity of the church, especially in the Diocese of Bogor,” he said.

The resignation followed investigations by a Vatican-appointed team led by Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunyamin of Bandung, president of the Indonesian bishops’ conference, to investigate several allegations against Bishop Syukur.

Bishop Bunyamin did not respond to UCA News’ requests for comment on the case.

In December, two diocesan priests — Bogor diocesan major seminary rector Father Yosep Sirilus Natet and staff member Father Yoseph Kristinus Guntur — published an article accusing Bishop Syukur of authoritarianism, abuse of power, financial mismanagement and of having personal relationships that influence all policies.

They cited the case of the bishop’s takeover of a hospital from the Franciscan Sisters of Sukabumi and its transfer to lay management, which was described as an “expulsion” of the sisters and an abuse of power.

They also questioned Bishop Syukur’s move to replace the diocesan curial officials in December, and accused him of carrying out the move secretly “without a spirit of synodality involving the old curia.”

Though the bishop’s decisions were later reversed following the Vatican investigation, they reportedly divided diocesan clergy, and Bishop Syukur became largely unpopular and sidelined.

Bishop Syukur, in a statement, defended his decisions as being made with “love for the Church and to avoid further confusion,” and “as a form of my moral responsibility.”

Regarding the issue of the hospital, he said that it was “a reorganization effort for the sake of a healthier mission,” not an attempt to expel the sisters.

He also dismissed allegations of financial crisis and bankruptcy in the diocese and labeled the allegation of using diocesan funds for personal use as “baseness.”

The prelate also brushed off allegations of inappropriate personal relationships with certain people, claiming they were “based on professionalism for the advancement of the diocese.”

On the conflict between priests and the curia, he said, “Leadership is often a lonely path.”

He said in 2024, he was asked to decline cardinal’s red hat, “accused of allowing pedophilia to occur in the diocese.”

He also claimed he properly handled two cases of sexual abuse in his diocese and ensured the perpetrators ended up in jail.

A Church source told UCA News that, before resigning, Bishop Syukur had gone to the Vatican earlier in January to explain the accusations against him.

Born on the Catholic-majority island of Flores, Bishop Syukur, a Franciscan, has served as the Franciscan provincial of Indonesia twice since 2001.

He was appointed bishop of Bogor in 2013.

From 2021-2025, he served as the secretary general of Indonesia bishops’ conference. Pope Francis named him a cardinal on Oct. 6, 2024, but he declined it.

 

Pope Leo sends ‘warm greetings,’ apostolic blessing to March for Life participants

 

Pope Leo XIV blesses a baby from the popemobile before an audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Oct. 31, 2025, for the Jubilee of the World of Education. On the eve of the 2026 March for Life in Washington Jan. 22, Pope Leo issued a message to participants, expressing his deep gratitude for their “eloquent public witness” and imparting his apostolic blessing. 

 

On the eve of the 2026 March for Life in Washington, Pope Leo XIV issued a message to participants, expressing his deep gratitude for their “eloquent public witness” and imparting his apostolic blessing.

“I send warm greetings to those of you participating in the 2026 March for Life,” said the pope in a message released by the Holy See Jan. 22, observed by Catholics in the U.S. as the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.

Tens of thousands to gather in Washington for national March for Life

On Jan. 23, tens of thousands are set to rally in the nation’s capital for the gathering, which has been held annually since 1974 to protest the broad legalization of abortion under the prior year’s Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions. 

The march has continued following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the Roe and Doe rulings and returned the issue of abortion from the federal to the state level.

Pope: Healthy society safeguards, promotes sanctity of human life

 

Pope Leo XIV greets a baby from the popemobile as he rides around St. Peter's Square at the Vatican before his weekly general audience June 25, 2025. On the eve of the 2026 March for Life in Washington Jan. 22, Pope Leo issued a message to participants, expressing his deep gratitude for their "eloquent public witness" and imparting his apostolic blessing. 

 

In his message, the pope expressed his “heartfelt appreciation” to march participants.

Quoting his Jan. 9 address to Holy See-accredited diplomats, the pope assured the marchers “of my spiritual closeness as you gather for this eloquent public witness to affirm that ‘the protection of the right to life constitutes the indispensable foundation of every other human right.’

“Indeed, ‘a society is healthy and truly progresses only when it safeguards the sanctity of human life and works actively to promote it,'” said Pope Leo, continuing to quote his Jan. 9 address.

He encouraged participants, “especially the young people, to continue striving to ensure that life is respected in all of its stages through appropriate efforts at every level of society, including dialogue with civil and political leaders.”

Referring to Christ’s promise in Matthew 28:20, Pope Leo said, “May Jesus, who promised to be with us always … accompany you today as you courageously and peacefully march on behalf of unborn children.

“By advocating for them, please know that you are fulfilling the Lord’s command to serve him in the least of our brothers and sisters,” said the pope, highlighting Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:31-46.

“With these sentiments I entrust all of you, as well as those who support you with their prayers and sacrifices, to the intercession of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the United States of America, and I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of abundant heavenly graces,” said Pope Leo. 

 

Truth now speaking for itself – Presidency on reports IPOB behind Christian genocide claims

 

 

The Presidency has insisted that the long-debated claim of Christian genocide in Nigeria was falsely originated by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

A report published earlier this month by the New York Times had accused Emeka Umeagbalasi, a trader and leader of an Onitsha-based NGO, Intersociety, of masterminding the genocide claim that prompted the action of the US President Donald Trump and some lawmakers.

Reacting to the report, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said the fact are beginning to emerge.

The Presidency has insisted that the long-debated claim of Christian genocide in Nigeria was falsely originated by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

A report published earlier this month by the New York Times had accused Emeka Umeagbalasi, a trader and leader of an Onitsha-based NGO, Intersociety, of masterminding the genocide claim that prompted the action of the US President Donald Trump and some lawmakers.

Reacting to the report, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said the fact are beginning to emerge.

In a statement on his official X handle on Tuesday, Bwala recalled a series of interviews where he declared that IPOB was behind the narrative.

He said, “I said it early, and I said it clearly.
In August 2025, during my first interview on TVC, I warned that the so-called “Christian Genocide” narrative was a deliberate hoax, pushed by IPOB.

“This was long before my media engagements and advocacy tours across the US, France, and the UK, where I consistently presented facts to counter misinformation being fed to the international community.

“Today, the truth is speaking for itself. The New York Times has traced this false narrative to claims linked to Emeka Umeagbalasi, exposing how conjecture and bias were amplified as “reports.” Facts are stubborn.

“Let it be known to all that these formed the basis upon which the US Senators and congressmen formed their opinion and convinced the POTUS to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern

“Propaganda may travel fast, but the truth always catches up.”

 

Christian genocide: Details of US, Nigeria meeting over CPC designation emerge

 

 

Details of a high-level meeting between the United States and the Federal Government over Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, have emerged.

US President Donald Trump has designated Nigeria as a CPC over alleged violation of religious freedom, especially against Christians.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday after the meeting, the Nigerian and US governments said the first session of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group was held in Abuja on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

The Working Group was set up after Trump designated Nigeria a CPC under the International Religious Freedom Act.

According to the statement, the Working Group aims to “reduce violence against vulnerable groups in Nigeria, particularly Christians, and to create a conducive atmosphere for all Nigerians to freely practice their faith unimpeded by terrorists, separatists, bandits, and criminal militias”.

Nigeria’s delegation was led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and included representatives of 10 ministries and agencies, while the US team was headed by Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker, alongside officials from eight federal agencies.

The two sides held what they described as “strategic discussions” on how deeper US-Nigeria cooperation could improve religious freedom and strengthen security nationwide”.

They also reaffirmed the long-standing bilateral relationship between both countries, which they said is “grounded in shared values of pluralism, respect for the rule of law, and sovereignty”.

The US delegation welcomed Nigeria’s recent steps to tackle insecurity, particularly in the North-Central states, where attacks on farming and Christian communities have been frequent.

Both governments, the statement said, reiterated their “strong and unflinching commitment to upholding the principles of religious freedom” and agreed on the need for “joint, active, and sustained measures to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all, in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Participants further stressed the need to protect civilians, “particularly members of vulnerable Christian communities,” while ensuring that perpetrators of violence are held accountable.

On security cooperation, both sides agreed to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts through “operational cooperation, access to technology, anti-money laundering measures, countering the financing of terrorism, and building law enforcement and investigative capacity”.

The US delegation also commended Nigeria for what it described as “urgent actions to strengthen security for at-risk Christian communities and Nigerians of all faiths whose safety is threatened by violence and terrorism”.

It was agreed that the next meeting of the Joint Working Group would be held in the United States at a date to be determined through diplomatic channels.

Recall that on October 31, US President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, citing allegations of widespread violence and what some advocacy groups describe as a “Christian genocide” in parts of the country. 

Gunmen abduct over 150 worshippers from 3 churches in Nigeria

Gunmen have abducted more than 150 worshipers in simultaneous attacks on three churches in northwest Nigeria 

ABUJA, Nigeria -- Gunmen abducted more than 150 worshipers in simultaneous attacks on three separate churches in northwest Nigeria, a state lawmaker told The Press on Monday.

 

The attack occurred on Sunday in Kurmin Wali, a community in the Kajuru area of Kaduna state, while services and a Mass were underway at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a church belonging to the denomination Cherubim and Seraphim, and a Catholic church, according to Usman Danlami Stingo, a lawmaker representing the area at the state parliament.

“As of yesterday, 177 people were missing, and 11 came back. So we have 168 still missing,” he said.

Police in Kaduna state have not commented.

No group has taken responsibility. Such attacks are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, where multiple gangs and religious armed groups attack remote communities with limited security and government presence.

The northern region of the country has been hit hardest.

Similar attacks on churches have sparked allegations of the persecution of Christian by U.S. President Donald Trump and some American lawmakers. The U.S. government launched military strikes in Sokoto on Dec. 25, allegedly targeting an Islamic State group in the region.

The Nigerian government has rejected the characterization of the country’s escalating security crises as a “Christian genocide.”

 

Mohler's Comments on Minneapolis Church Protest Spark Fierce Online Debate

A theologian's condemnation of a church protest ignited a firestorm of social media debate, revealing deep cultural and political divides across platforms. 

America’s cultural and political divide was on full display Sunday when theologian Albert Mohler condemned the protests inside a Minneapolis church, sparking widespread applause for his comments on X/Twitter but sharp criticism on Threads.

Mohler was commenting on anti-ICE protesters who stormed a morning service at Cities Church in Minneapolis, confronting congregants and interrupting worship in protest of a pastor’s alleged ties to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The church is Southern Baptist. Activists with the Racial Justice Network disrupted the service and were videotaped by former CNN anchor Don Lemon.

“This cannot be a house of God while harboring someone directing ICE agents to wreak havoc on our community,” protester Nekima Levy-Armstrong told Lemon.

But Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the issue is one of freedom of worship and assembly.

“I normally do not post to social media on the Lord’s Day, but the unspeakably evil intrusion of a leftist mob into a Christian worship service today in Minneapolis must be called out for what it is – and Federal authorities should be fast and effective in response,” Mohler wrote in a post that was posted across multiple platforms, including X and Threads.

“Yes. Thank you for speaking to this pastors must call this out to ensure this does not become normal in our country,” one person wrote.

“I agree and thank you for speaking up,” another wrote.

Yet on Threads, which is owned by Meta, the reaction was the polar opposite. Threads became a popular alternative for many liberals after Elon Musk purchased X/Twitter. Most of the roughly 150 comments criticized Mohler.

“If you, as a Christian leader, have more of an issue with a service being interrupted than that the pastor is a part of a state-sponsored movement to terrorize and abuse immigrants, you have completely and totally missed the point of Jesus,” one person on Threads wrote.

“Jesus  would have flipped that table, and you should too, sir,” another person on Threads wrote. “I humbly ask you to repent of what you've said here.”

Mohler discussed the church protest in depth on Monday on his podcast,

“People are going to see what they want to see,” he said of the videos of the protests. “But let me just tell you, they can’t deny in the case of this invasion of the church that there was no right of these protesters to enter the private space, to enter and disrupt evangelical worship.”

He also defended the legitimacy of government authority and law enforcement.

“We do believe in legitimate government, Romans 13,” he said. “We really do believe in legitimate government action, and we really do believe that certified law enforcement agents of the government of the United States of America need to be recognized for their authority and for the legitimacy of their mission. That doesn’t mean that anyone in the federal government is beyond investigation or accountability. It does mean that if we do not have basic order and respect for our federal government all the way down, even to all the initials for all those federal agencies, if we don’t have respect for law enforcement of the federal area, no place is going to be safe.”

 

Hindu nationalists unleash wave of Christmas violence across India

 

Local BJP official Anju Bhargava accuses Safalta Kartik of converting to Christianity at Christmas event for blind children in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh state, India  

A district vice president of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stood over a visually impaired woman at a Christmas lunch for blind children, grabbed her face and accused her of converting to Christianity on Dec. 20 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, in central India.

Anju Bhargava told the woman she would remain blind in her next life for attending the Christian event. The attack, captured on video and widely shared online, became a flashpoint for national outrage.

The Jabalpur incident was among nearly 50 verified attacks on Christians during the 2025 Advent and Christmas season, according to the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI). Violence erupted across Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Haryana, Gujarat, Odisha and Uttarakhand states. Groups linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist umbrella organization, carried out most incidents through its affiliated groups the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

In Chhattisgarh, church buildings burned, homes were destroyed and Christian families fled for their lives. On Wednesday (Dec. 29) alone, mobs attacked eight families in one village and demolished a dozen homes in another.

Pastor Dharmendra Jena organized his annual Christmas lunch for 26 visually impaired students from various institutions at the Johnson School compound in Jabalpur’s Katanga area on Dec. 20. For eight years, the event had featured songs and gifts of walking sticks, Braille devices and other such things for children who eagerly anticipated Christmas.

“On Dec. 20, a mob stormed our gathering, beat me, cursed these blind children, and disrupted everything based on false allegations,” Pastor Jena told Christian Daily International (CDI). “The children could not even have their lunch. Even the police found no evidence of conversion. These children just came for Christmas lunch and small gifts. Watching them leave hungry and frightened broke my heart.”

Around 1 p.m., several people arrived with police, questioned the gathering and then left. They returned shortly with about 25 others who barged in alleging forcible conversions. The mob questioned children directly and refused to listen when students explained they came only for Christmas lunch.

Safalta Kartik, a visually impaired woman attending with her 8-year-old niece, became the target of Bhargava’s assault. Bhargava approached the child and grabbed her hand, Kartik told media. When Kartik intervened, Bhargava accused her of converting to Christianity despite her wearing Sindoor (red vermillion mark, sign of a married Hindu woman), alleged she engaged in prostitution and then grabbed Kartik’s face while shouting insults.

 

“What hurt me the most was that she mocked our blindness,” Kartik told media. “She didn’t just target me; she shouted that all of us would be born blind again for attending a Christmas lunch.”

Police detained Pastor Jena for several hours but released him by evening. No action was taken against attackers.

A day later, roughly 50 people stormed Pastor Rajesh Chaudhary’s Prarthna Bhavan church during Sunday worship. The 23-year veteran pastor told CDI that attackers destroyed property and beat worshippers, including women and children. When congregants resisted, the mob withdrew.

“The attack on our worship service has deeply shaken our community,” Pastor Chaudhary told CDI. “The atmosphere has become increasingly polarized and vitiated, making it difficult for us to worship in peace. We are disappointed by the lack of adequate police action to protect our constitutional rights and hold the perpetrators accountable.”

Despite written complaints from both pastors, police filed no First Information Report (FIR), the formal complaint initiating criminal proceedings.

Chhattisgarh Violence

Violence in Chhattisgarh centered on Christians being boycotted socially and being denied the dignity of burying their dead.

Rajman Salam, 36, an elected village leader (sarpanch) who converted to Christianity years ago, rushed his 70-year-old father to hospital in Kanker District on Dec. 15. His father passed away a few hours later.

Village elders refused traditional tribal burial rites and space in the village burial ground because of Salam’s Christian faith, even though his father was not a Christian, he told CDI. On Dec. 16, the family buried his father on their private land following tribal customs, led by Salam’s non-Christian elder brother.

“But even this infuriated the villagers who have been provoked and mobilized by Hindu nationalist groups,” Salam told CDI.

On Dec. 17, a mob of 300-400 attacked a condolence gathering of roughly 100 people. Salam, his brother, sister-in-law and others were severely beaten. The mob also engaged in roughing up police personnel who had been called to intervene. Police vehicles were damaged and officers injured in the mayhem.

“Things have become very bad here. My own church was closed down forcibly by Bajrang Dal people in November,” a Kanker pastor who attended the gathering told CDI, requesting anonymity.

He was present when Salam’s family was attacked, he said.

“We had gone there to offer condolence, and we were about a 100 of us sitting there with him and the family when the attack took place,” he said. “One day later, the mob burned three churches, and now they have burned many more houses. People have left their homes due to fear and have fled for their lives. The administration is in the pocket of the Hindu groups and is not doing anything to protect us.”

On Dec. 18, authorities exhumed the body without family permission. Salam told CDI on Dec. 26 he still didn’t know where his father’s remains had been taken.

Later that day, more than 3,000 people gathered and torched Salam’s house and church building. The mob also burned two church buildings in nearby areas.

Salam told CDI that authorities removed his father’s body without consent and mobs burned church buildings and his home while police watched, and he stressed that families should have the basic right to bury their dead. Hindu organizations called a statewide shutdown for Christmas Eve, demanding action against alleged forcible conversions.

For decades, Christians buried their dead in shared village graveyards used by tribal and caste Hindu residents. Under pressure from Hindu nationalist groups, Christians are now barred from these spaces. Most villages lack designated Christian cemeteries, and where they exist, they sit 80-100 kilometers away. Families lack transport and time to travel such distances with decomposing bodies.

Escalation

Violence surged with simultaneous attacks in two villages in Chhattisgarh state.

In Mardum village, Lohandiguda block, Bastar District, assailants went house to house at 11 a.m., assaulting eight Christian families. A formal complaint filed that day states villagers beat residents, stole approximately 10,000 kilograms of rice plus wheat, corn, chickens and household goods, and then locked families out of their homes. Attackers spat in prepared food and threw sand into stored grains.

Families including young children spent the day and night outside in severe cold. Ulleswari, six months pregnant, lost consciousness after being attacked and remains hospitalized.

“Law and order have broken completely here,” a Bastar pastor told CDI anonymously. “Every day some or the other Christian and their family is targeted. We are unable to cope up with the number of incidents happening against the community. The Christmas season has turned deeply sorrowful for us with these happenings. There is misery instead of happiness, but our faith is not shaken. God is with us, and we will persevere.”

Reports from the ground allege that police were present but didn’t intervene and, while officers watched, attackers loaded grain into vehicles and reportedly sold it at market.

In Pusagaon village, 15 kilometers from Kanker, villagers called a meeting demanding Christians renounce their faith. When families refused, roughly 80 people armed with bamboo sticks and iron rods destroyed 12 homes. Videos show attackers tearing apart thatched roofs. Families fled.

Kanker police superintendent told media officers obtained video evidence and would act “once the situation normalizes.” No FIR has been filed.

Forced Reconversion in Dhamtari

Puniya Bai Sahu, 65, died in Borai village, Dhamtari District. She had embraced Christianity two years earlier. Villagers blocked burial, then crowds at the sub-district headquarters filled in a grave the family had dug.

On Christmas night, authorities forced the family to sign an affidavit renouncing Christianity in order to dispose of their loved one’s body.

The document stated: “We family members, being misled, were participating in Christian religion and Christian community programs from Hindu religion. Therefore, this family will support mainstream Hindu rituals and worship of regional deities and village customs. And our entire family will not have any kind of relationship with Christian religion or preachers again. The entire family apologizes to all communities in the Borai region. If we return to Christianity again, we will leave the village on our own and go elsewhere.”

Only after signing could they cremate the body according to Hindu rites. Police said the dispute was “resolved socially.”

Other Major Cases

In Palakkad, Kerala state in southern India, RSS worker Ashwin Raj attacked children under 15 who were caroling on Dec. 21, destroying their musical instruments.

Police arrested Raj, but BJP state leader C. Krishnakumar defended the attack by falsely calling the children a “drunken criminal gang.” Schools across Kerala cancelled Christmas programs after RSS pressure, with some returning money already collected from students.

In Nalbari, Assam state in northeast India, VHP and Bajrang Dal members entered St. Mary’s School on Christmas Eve, burning student decorations while chanting “Jai Hindu Rashtra [Hail Hindu Nation].” Four were arrested.

In Hisar, Haryana state in northern India, Hindu groups on Christmas Day held a Hanuman Chalisa recitation and fire ritual directly opposite the 160-year-old St. Thomas Church, disrupting services and requiring heavy police presence.

 

 Hindu extremist attack on church in Kanker District, Chhattisgarh state, India

In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh state, members of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad protested outside St. Alphonsus Cathedral Church on Christmas Eve, chanting the Hanuman Chalisa and raising the Hindu slogans “Jai Shri Ram” and “Vande Mataram” at the church gates. They claimed a cultural program linked to the Christmas celebration had offended Hindu sentiments or negatively portrayed Hindu society.

Also in Uttar Pradesh, schools remained open Christmas Day by government order, though traditionally Christmas day has been a holiday. The state government designated the day to honor former Prime Minister and BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee and made school attendance compulsory.

Throughout December, police arrested multiple pastors on forcible conversion charges. Bajrang Dal disrupted numerous services.

Uttar Pradesh recorded 209 anti-Christian incidents in 2024, the highest of any state. Since 2021, authorities have arrested 420 Christians under the state’s anti-conversion law with zero convictions.

VHP Boycott Call

On Dec. 13, VHP’s Surendra Gupta issued a letter urging Hindus to boycott Christmas, claiming participation in other faiths’ festivals enables conversions. The organization called on Hindus to avoid shops displaying Christmas greetings and sent letters to malls and schools opposing Christmas decorations.

Following the appeal, vendors in Puri, Odisha state faced harassment for selling Santa hats and were told India is a “Hindu nation” where Christian items aren’t allowed.

In Ahmedabad, Gujarat state, the VHP forced St. International School to remove all Christmas decorations and targeted four other schools. Activists later vandalized a mall’s Christmas tree.

In Haridwar, Uttarakhand state, a hotel cancelled its Christmas event after Hindu groups threatened protests.

Christian Leaders Respond

During Advent and Christmas, EFI received verified reports of close to 50 incidents affecting Christian communities in India.

“What is most concerning is the pattern: prayer services interrupted, Christmas celebrations questioned, burials contested, and ordinary Christian life placed under suspicion,” the Rev. Vijayesh Lal of the EFI told CDI. “These were not theological disagreements but signs of growing intimidation. When such disruption is tolerated, religious freedom does not collapse suddenly; it erodes quietly.”

The National Council of Churches in India welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Dec. 25 visit to Cathedral Church of the Redemption in New Delhi as a “reassuring signal” but called on government to “unequivocally distance” itself from violence and initiate decisive police action against attackers.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) condemned the attacks in Jabalpur on Dec. 23, highlighting the targeting of blind children and demanding Bhargava’s dismissal from the BJP.

“These targeted incidents, especially against peaceful carol singers and congregations gathered in churches to pray, gravely undermine India’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and the right to live and worship without fear,” the CBCI statement read.

The BJP reportedly issued a show-cause notice to Bhargava on Dec. 24 but filed no criminal charges. She retains her party position.

Prime Minister’s Visit

Prime Minister Modi attended Christmas morning worship at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption, a Church of North India congregation, on Dec. 25. The service included prayers, carols and a special prayer for Modi led by Bishop Paul Swarup.

“A Christmas church visit does not cancel a year of dog whistles – the hounds knew what they had to do,” veteran human rights activist Dr. John Dayal told CDI. “If Mr. Modi’s appearance was intended as a message of goodwill, it rang hollow, because the violence on the ground continued unchecked. Symbolism cannot substitute for governance. When those who invoke power feel protected enough to intimidate Christians openly, the message they receive matters far more than a carefully staged photograph. The good thing is the obscene violence has not shaken the community’s faith.”

Police Failure

Police were often present during attacks but failed to intervene. When Christians filed complaints, authorities delayed or refused FIRs. In multiple cases, police arrested Christians on conversion charges instead of protecting them from mobs.

In Jabalpur, no FIR followed video evidence of the BJP official assaulting a disabled woman. In Badetewada, police exhumed a body without permission but ignored mobs burning churches. In Mardum, the complaint alleges officers watched attackers loot grain.

Christian leaders report that when they call for help, officers explicitly state they’re under “official pressure” and advise against seeking police assistance.

Open Doors reported over 2,900 persecution incidents from January-November 2025. India ranked 11th on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List, down from 31st in 2013 before Modi took power.

Christians comprise 2.3 percent of India’s 1.4 billion population. The ruling BJP promotes Hindutva ideology, which defines India as a Hindu nation and frames religious minorities as threats.

Christian families in Chhattisgarh remain displaced. Heavy police deployments continue in affected areas. Despite complaints, video evidence, and media coverage, no arrests of attackers have been reported. Authorities have issued no statements on compensation or timelines for families to return home.

 

Christian symbols in public buildings on trial before European Court of Human Rights

A case that seeks to remove Christian symbols, including icons and religious artwork, from public buildings in Greece began when two atheists asked for the removal of Christian icons displayed in Greek courtrooms. | Credit: Courtesy of ADF International

 

ADF International goes to court to defend the right to display Christian symbols in Greece’s public buildings. 

The European Court of Human Rights is examining a case that seeks to remove Christian symbols, including icons and religious artwork, from public buildings in Greece.

The case began when two atheists asked for the removal of Christian icons displayed in Greek courtrooms during hearings involving religious matters, claiming the icons were discriminatory, compromised judicial objectivity, and violated their rights to a fair trial and to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

Greek courts rejected the requests.

ADF International has intervened in the case, known as Union of Atheists v. Greece, arguing that removing religious symbols in public spaces is a misinterpretation of religious freedom. 

The group pointed out in a press release that the European Court of Human Rights ruled previously in a case in Italy that the presence of a crucifix in state classrooms does not “amount to indoctrination or interfere with the right of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.”

Adina Portaru, senior counsel at ADF International, said: “The display of religious symbols in public spaces is in no way incompatible with human rights law. Public spaces should not be stripped of crosses, icons, or other symbols with religious, cultural, and historical significance in the name of pluralism.”

“The court has repeatedly affirmed that religious symbols, particularly those forming a country’s heritage, do not violate freedom of religion or the right to a fair trial.”

ADF International emphasized that any principle of state neutrality must not equate to hostility toward Christianity, pointing out its deep social, cultural, and historical role in Greece.

“The European Convention on Human Rights robustly protects freedom of religion. Culturally rooted religious symbols or artwork, such as centuries-old Orthodox Christian icons, do not impose a belief on anyone nor direct judicial decision-making,” Portaru said.

ADF’s legal brief stressed that the European Court’s case law grants states a wide margin of appreciation in matters of religion in public life, arguing that a religious image alone does not restrict freedom of belief or undermine trial fairness, and that no right exists to be free from offense caused by religious imagery.

According to ADF: “Across Europe, there exists a long-standing practice of displaying religious symbols, including crucifixes, in Italian state institutions, religious artwork in historic court buildings in Austria and Spain, or crosses in every government office across Bavaria, Germany, while in France courts have recognized that religious imagery is permissible in public buildings where it serves a cultural or historical purpose.”

The European Court of Human Rights will now review the case as well as third-party interventions before issuing a decision.

 

More Christians killed in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world in 2025.

 

 

A report put together by an international organization, O9en Doors, a Netherlands-based Christian mission that tracks global persecution and supports persecuted Christians worldwide, has revealed that more Christians were killed in Nigeria in 2025 than anywhere else in the world combined.

The report which was published by Open Doors’ World Watch List 2026 on Saturday, stated that out of over 4,849 Christians killed for their faith worldwide, 3,490 were Nigeria Christians who were killed for practicing their faith by Islamist extremist groups, terrorists like Boko Haram, ISWAP, the Lakurawa act and Fulani bandits especially in the Middle Belt of the country.

According to the report, despite denials by the Nigerian government, the country is currently at the centre of a growing global persecution crisis having been ranked in the top 50 countries by the severity of persecution faced by active Christians.

The CEO at Open Doors UK & Ireland, Henrietta Blyth, who spoke at the report’s launch at Portcullis House, London, said:

“Nigeria is in sub-Saharan Africa, a region that represents a deathtrap for Christians. In recent months the situation in Nigeria has been back in the spotlight after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to go “guns a-blazing” into the country and subsequently launched strikes on militants linked to the Islamic State group in the northwest of the country.

“We need to be critical friends. We need to be able to speak to our Nigerian counterparts, encouraging and enable them to speak truth. It’s a multilayered conflict in central Nigeria, with many causes, including religious persecution,” she said, while expressing relief that people are finally talking about what’s going on in the country.

“There are also groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), who have openly stated their ideology and want to establish an Islamic caliphate based on a radical Islamic ideology. They have a YouTube channel these days and they brag about killing infidels,” she added.

The report also shows a global increase of eight million Christians facing high levels of persecution and discrimination between October 2024 and September 2025, bringing the total to 388 million worldwide.

Also speaking at the launch of the report, the U.K.’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, David Smith, said

“We have to be that voice that speaks on these horrendous stories. No one should live in fear because of their faith or belief. The minimum we can do is speak up, and I urge you to that.”

“The reasons for persecution in Nigeria are multifaceted and vary between regions. Ethnic Fulani herders have moved from the north to Nigeria’s middle belt, where they are causing a massive problem.

“They are moving to the area where they can find more resources for their cattle, like grazing land, and that naturally could cause a conflict between the predominantly Christian farming community and the herders who are predominantly ethnic Fulanis and Muslims.

“The least reported and the wrongly reported violence, but causing a massive problem, is the violence in the Middle Belt or north central of Nigeria by Fulani militants. That is the oversimplified one always. Now there is an emergence of an Islamic militant Fulani.”

 

“Christian Messengers of Hope”

 

Pope Leo XIV praises Finland as a “model of ecumenism” and calls on Christians to bring the light of the Lord to the darkest corners of the world 

 

At the audience held this Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV warmly received the annual ecumenical delegation from Finland—comprised of Lutherans, Orthodox, and Catholics—coinciding with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the feast of St. Henry, patron saint of the Nordic country.

In his address, the Pope focused his reflection on the theme of the Week of Prayer: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called” (Eph 4:4). He emphasized that this unique hope is rooted in “one baptism for the forgiveness of sins,” the foundation of all Christian fraternity.

In a global context where many are tempted by despair, Leo XIV forcefully affirmed, “We have the essential mission, as Christian messengers of hope, to bring the light of the Lord to the darkest corners of our world.” Although the Jubilee of Hope recently concluded with the closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, “our Christian hope knows no end or limit,” for it is nourished by the grace of Jesus Christ, “the very embodiment of hope for all.”

The Pope praised Finland as a “model of ecumenism” in the contemporary Christian landscape. He highlighted concrete signs of this fraternity:

• The trilateral declaration of the bishops of Helsinki (Orthodox, Lutheran, and Catholic) to promote a “culture of hope, dignity, and compassion,” especially in palliative care and at the end of life. 
• The Nordic Catholic Bishops’ Conference recognized the Finnish Catholic-Lutheran dialogue document “Growing Communion” as a “valuable milestone” on the ecumenical path.
• The established tradition of jointly celebrating the feast of Saint Henry is a living example of practical ecumenism.

Leo XIV expressed his support for the sixth phase of the International Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue, which begins in February, and expressed confidence that the Finnish experiences, with Bishop Raimo Goyarrola as co-chair, will enrich this process.

At the end of the meeting, the Holy Father wished the delegation a fruitful pilgrimage to Rome, invoked the intercession of the Apostles Peter and Paul, along with Saint Henry, to strengthen them as “bearers of hope,” and assured them of his prayers. As a final gesture of unity, he invited everyone to pray the Lord’s Prayer together in English.

 

 

Your Eminence,
Your Excellencies,
Dear brothers and sisters,

On the occasion of your ecumenical pilgrimage to Rome, I offer you my warmest greetings, as you celebrate also the Feast Day of Saint Henrik. In particular, I welcome Archbishop Tapio Luoma: thank you for your thoughtful words, in which you referred to the 750^th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Turku, and conveyed a message also from the President of the Republic of Finland, Mr Alexander Stubb, to whom I am grateful. I likewise greet Archbishop Elia of Helsinki and all Finland, and Bishop Raimo Goyarrola of Helsinki, who represent the Orthodox and Catholic faithful of Finland respectively.

Your visit to Rome is happily being made during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, whose theme this year is taken from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling” (4:4). This hope has its sure foundation in the “one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins” (as we receive Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed), which is the very root of all Christian fraternity. At a time when people are often tempted by a sense of hopelessness, we have the essential mission, as Christian messengers of hope, to bring the Lord’s light into the darkest corners of our world. Although the Jubilee of Hope has now concluded with the recent closing of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, our Christian hope knows no end and no limit. Thus, encouraged and strengthened by the grace of Jesus Christ, who is the very incarnation of hope for all, we are called and sent out to bear witness to this saving truth with edifying words and charitable deeds.

In this regard, I appreciate the many signs of hope to be found among the Christians of Finland. In particular, I was pleased to learn that Finland has been described as “a model country for ecumenism.” Indeed, I know that the bishops of Helsinki, in a trilateral Orthodox-Lutheran-Catholic declaration, are seeking to promote a “culture of hope, dignity, and compassion,” and have jointly affirmed that “the development of palliative and end-of-life care must continue.” It is also noteworthy that the Catholic Nordic Bishops’ Conference has acknowledged the document of the National Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue, “Communion in Growth,” in its own “Reception Statement” last September, calling it a “valuable milestone on the ecumenical journey.” Such examples of cooperation, together with the long-standing tradition of jointly celebrating Saint Henrik’s Day, are eloquent signs of a practical and fruitful ecumenism, and can serve to encourage the Sixth Phase of the International Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue, which begins next month. I am sure that Bishop Goyarrola, as Co-Chair, will bring these positive experiences of Finnish ecumenism to this Dialogue.

Dear friends, with these thoughts, I wish you an enjoyable and productive visit to Rome. May you be strengthened as “bearers of hope” through the intercession of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and Saint Henrik. Assuring you of my prayers, I gladly invoke upon you, and all those you represent, the abundant blessings of Almighty God.

And as a sign of our friendship in Christ, I would now like to invite all of you, all of us, to pray together the Our Father in English:

Our Father…

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Jerusalem Patriarchs Warn ‘Christian Zionism’ Endangers Christian Unity and Presence

 

 

Senior Christian leaders in Jerusalem have warned against outside political and ideological interference they say threatens the unity and future of Christianity in the Holy Land, singling out “Christian Zionism” and political actors linked to Israel.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem said recent activities by local individuals promoting what they described as “damaging ideologies, such as Christian Zionism,” have misled the public, sown confusion and harmed the unity of Christian communities.

The church leaders said these efforts have received backing from “certain political actors in Israel and beyond,” accusing them of advancing agendas that could undermine the Christian presence not only in the Holy Land but across the wider Middle East.

The warning comes amid growing concern among Palestinian Christians that Israeli policies — including land confiscation, settlement expansion and pressure on church-owned property — are accelerating the decline of one of the world’s oldest Christian communities.

A powerful current of evangelical Christianity in the United States continues to shape political and financial support for Israel, drawing increasing concern from church leaders in Jerusalem. Many Christian Zionists also subscribe to the “prosperity gospel,” a belief that supporting Israel brings personal and financial reward.

Critics say such beliefs translate into financial donations and political backing for Israel’s settlement enterprise, entrenching the occupation while marginalising Palestinian Christians and weakening the historic churches of the Holy Land.

The patriarchs said they were “deeply concerned” that individuals promoting these agendas have been received at official levels locally and internationally, describing such engagement as interference in the internal life of the churches.

“These actions constitute an intrusion into the internal affairs of the churches,” the statement said, accusing outside actors of disregarding the authority and responsibility of Jerusalem’s historic Christian leadership.

Threats to Christian presence

The statement did not specify the events that prompted the warning. However, a recent report by the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem cited ongoing threats to Christian heritage, particularly in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, alongside concerns over unjustified taxation.

The report warned that settler attacks are increasingly targeting Christian churches, communities and properties across the West Bank, and called for urgent measures to protect Christian communities and places of worship.

On Wednesday, a senior Palestinian church body condemned Israeli restrictions that prevent teachers from the occupied West Bank from reaching schools in occupied East Jerusalem, warning that Christian education is under direct threat.

The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine said Israeli authorities have sharply curtailed work permits for West Bank teachers, disrupting classes and denying hundreds of students their right to education.

The committee said the restrictions have delayed the start of the second school term and paralysed the education process, particularly affecting Christian institutions in Jerusalem.

According to the committee, Israel’s permit system and military checkpoints are being used to block teachers from reaching classrooms, restrict movement and weaken educational institutions. It said these measures amount to collective punishment and reflect racial discrimination prohibited under international law.