Many, if not most, Christians in Western countries know little about the grim reality of the persecution of Christians worldwide, and show scant concern for it. That is one primary reason why the Order of Saint Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, has established this website. We hope to provide Orthodox Christians and Christians of all traditions with information about the scope and magnitude of this problem, and pray that the information we provide will spur lawmakers to act in support of the world’s embattled Christians.
“Report shows persecution of Christians is getting worse,” Aid to the Church In Need, November 16, 2022:
JIHADISTS and nationalists are driving increased persecution of Christians around the world – according to a report unveiled today.
In countries around the world, Aid to the Church in Need will launch Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2020-22.
The report, which is launched today (Wednesday, 16th November) includes information from ACN and other local sources, provides first-hand testimony, compilations of incidents, case studies and country analysis on the extent to which Christians are targeted around the world.
In the UK, the report will be presented in the Houses of Parliament with a keynote address by Bishop Jude Arogundade whose diocese in Nigeria was targeted by gunmen who killed more than 40 people at a packed Sunday service in June.
Amid growing alarm about the increasing violence in parts of the country, Bishop Arogundade said ahead of the event that “no-one seems to pay attention to the genocide” taking place in swathes of Nigeria’s Middle Belt. “The world is silent as attacks on Churches, their personnel and institutions have become routine. How many corpses are required to get the world’s attention?”
Persecuted and Forgotten? found that in 75 percent of the 24 countries surveyed, oppression or persecution of Christians has increased.
Africa saw a sharp rise in terrorist violence from non-state militants – with more than 7,600 Nigerian Christians reportedly murdered between January 2021 and June 2022.
In May 2022 a video was released showing 20 Nigerian Christians being executed by Islamist terror group Boko Haram/ISWAP.