“The families will be relieved and happy to hear that those who planned the abduction of their children have been arrested. This is truly good news,” says Bishop Bulus Yohanna. (Banner: In February 2026, religious leaders held a press conference against terrorism and asked for the government to act.) Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora, …
Continue reading “Nigeria: Bishop welcomes arrests in school kidnapping case”
The number of churches attacked or vandalized in Europe and the Americas continues to rise, but Christians are often unaware of the legal tools available to combat discrimination and persecution—or, even when they are aware, they rarely make use of them. (Banner: The historic parish church of La Asunción, located in downtown Santiago, Chile, was …
Continue reading “Anti-Christian attacks on an upward trend”
The statement comes in the wake of a devastating attack against a landmark Catholic church and compound located in the region of Meza, Cabo Delgado. The Muslim community of Mozambique has issued a statement condemning the ongoing attacks by jihadists in the north, which have increasingly been targeting Christian people and sites. The jihadists who …
Continue reading “Muslim solidarity a “sign of hope” in Mozambique, says bishop”
Press Release – For Immediate Release Montreal, May 14, 2026– As part of its annual tradition, the Canadian office of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) invites you to mark your calendars for the eighth edition of Red Wednesday, which will take place on Wednesday, November 18. (Banner photo: participants in Saint John XXIII …
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First interview with new Chaldean Patriarch Amel Shamon Nona In 2015, the then Archbishop of Mosul left for Australia after his entire flock was exiled following the rise of the Islamic State. One decade later, he returns to Iraq, now as the newly elected patriarch of the Chaldean Church. On May 29, His Beatitude Amel …
Billions of people live in countries where religious freedom is not respected, according to the latest edition of the Religious Freedom in the World Report. Montreal, April 30, 2026 – Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) continues to collect signatures for its international petition in defence of religious freedom and the full implementation of …
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The bishop of Wukari tells ACN about the suffering of his people and says that the federal government of Nigeria must do more to stop violence. The Diocese of Wukari, in Taraba State, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, is experiencing a severe security crisis caused by armed groups composed mostly of the Fulani ethnic group. “In …
Continue reading “Nigeria: “We are part of the martyrdom of the 21st century””
The return of war to the Middle East has reopened old wounds and many Christians are again contemplating leaving the region. A drone strike last Wednesday (4 March) damaged Church-owned buildings in Ankawa, the Christian-majority district of Erbil in northern Iraq, raising fresh fears among local Christians about their future in the region amid escalating …
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The number of kidnappings also dropped slightly compared to 2024 but remains a major problem in parts of Africa. Fewer priests were arrested or kidnapped in 2025 compared to 2024, but the numbers remain worrying in many parts of the world according to data collected by the international organization Aid to the Church in Need …
Continue reading “Significant drop in arrests of priests in 2025 but deaths increase”
Cardinal Parolin tells “heroic” Christians in Mozambique In a risky trip to Cabo Delgado, home to a ruthless jihadist violence, the Vatican’s Secretary of State thanked the work of Aid to the Church in Need. Cardinal Pietro Parolin recently concluded a trip to Cabo Delgado, an insurgency-ridden region in Mozambique, where he met with the …
