anti-Christian violence Archives

Security situation for Christians in Mali gets worse
- Global Church
- October 18, 2017
Monsignor Edmond Dembélé, the secretary general of the bishops’ conference of Mali, says “there are so many armed groups now, all trying to prove themselves” in the country. The Central African nation’s small Christian minority is feeling the brunt of the violence, as Islamist groups destroy Christian places of worship, and drive Christians out of their homes.
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Egyptian Coptic priest killed in Cairo attack
- Associated Press, Global Church
- October 12, 2017
A priest in Egypt has died after an attacker struck his head with a cleaver. The assailant was later arrested. Attacks on Egypt’s Christians, who account for about 10 percent of the country’s 94 million people, have surged in recent months, with a series of suicide bombings claimed by the extremist Islamic State group killing more than 100 since December.
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Isolated Catholic village on Lebanon/Syria border: ‘We beg you, help us!’
- Global Church
- October 10, 2017
Located in northern Lebanon just a few minutes from the border with Syria, the Greek Melkite Catholic village of El-Kaa faces multiple existential threats, including Islamic extremism, a severe economic slump, and the sudden influx of 1,500 Syrian Christian refugees on top of the local population of just 2,500. Despite it all, they’re determined to stay, with a soaring new church a symbol of their resilience.
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Church in India remembers 2008 anti-Christian riots on ‘Kandhamal Day’

Christians in India are gathering in Odisha state on August 25 to mark Kandhamal Day, which commemorates the worst Christian violence the country has ever seen. Archbishop John Barwa said they are not there just to pray for the sacrifices of those who died in 2008, and those who still struggle and suffer for their faith in the region, but to support the demands of the victims and survivors for justice.

Bishops of India host meeting to combat threats to secularism

Participants in a meeting hosted by the bishops of India said recent communal violence “threatened not just secularism, but the Constitution and the democratic fabric of the country.” They called upon the people to “seek strength from India’s deep spiritual reservoirs to end the increasing environment of hate, violence and disregard for the rule of law.”

Church says Papua riot sparked by military burning Bibles

A riot in the Papua — a mostly Christian province of the predominantly Muslim country of Indonesia — was sparked by claims police burned Christian scripture. The police said water cannon was used, but the church’s report said two armored vehicles from the military base had fired at the crowd.