Report Finds Christian Persecution Worsened in Most Countries Studied
Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic charitable foundation, released its biennial report Persecuted and Forgotten? on October 27, finding that conditions for Christians worsened in ten of the eighteen countries it examined between 2024 and 2026, with none showing improvement. The report estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide face the most severe forms of religious persecution, and that 413 million Christians live in countries where religious freedom is seriously violated. Nigeria again stood out as one of the worst affected countries, with the report citing more than 3.5 million people displaced inside the country and a single overnight massacre in the town of Yelewata that killed more than 200 Christians.
Report director Marta Petrosillo said the figures represent real people, not just statistics. The report also pointed to continued pressure on Christians in Asia and the Middle East, regions the charity has tracked for decades through its parish and diocese network. Aid to the Church in Need said it hopes the findings will push governments and international bodies to pay closer attention to communities that often receive little outside coverage.
