Christian schools in Jerusalem suspended classes on September 1, 2026, after Israeli authorities failed to renew entry permits for over 70 Palestinian teachers and staff. The strike lasted one day before Israeli officials granted temporary permits to some employees. The General Secretariat of Christian Educational Institutions stated the sudden restrictions disrupted education for more than 8,500 students and threatened the Christian presence in the Holy Land. Church leaders warned that the lack of stable permits endangers livelihoods and the long-term viability of these institutions, which serve both Christian and Muslim students. Authorities have promised to review the situation further.
Aid to the Church in Need reports that armed men from a Sunni-majority village attacked a Christian village in western Syria. The violence, sparked by an altercation between youths, involved gunfire at homes and property damage. An Orthodox priest narrowly escaped injury when a bullet missed him. A local priest urged calm and unity, rejecting vendettas. This marks the second such incident in the village within six months, following a similar attack earlier in the year. The foundation continues to monitor the situation closely through local partners.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Slava Abramovitch on UnsplashPersecuted church
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, addressed the UN General Assembly in New York on September 26, 2026, to condemn the persecution of Christians worldwide. He stated that believers face discrimination, violence, and imprisonment solely due to their faith. The Holy See emphasized that defending religious freedom strengthens universal human rights. Parolin also highlighted conflicts in the Middle East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Mozambique, noting that Christian communities are often disproportionately affected. According to Aid to the Church in Need, over 5.4 billion people live where religious freedom is not fully guaranteed.
Father Bernard Poggi, rector of a seminary in Beit Jala, West Bank, warned that Christian presence in the Holy Land is shrinking due to settler violence, economic hardship, and movement restrictions. Speaking at an event in Augsburg, Germany, on September 13, he noted that cumulative pressures force families to emigrate for their children's safety. The tourism collapse following the October 7 attacks has worsened unemployment. In Gaza, the Christian population has dropped significantly. Poggi urged Aid to the Church in Need to support long-term development projects like schools and clinics to help communities remain in their homeland. (Aid to the Church in Need USA)
A new report by Pakistan’s National Commission for Justice and Peace highlights systemic discrimination against religious minorities in Pakistan during 2025. The document, shared with Aid to the Church in Need, cites murders, forced conversions, and misuse of blasphemy laws. Eight Christians were acquitted of blasphemy charges, and the government claims it is introducing procedural safeguards. However, violence against women and girls remains a critical concern, with authorities sometimes complicit in abductions. Bishop Samson Shukardin warns that official rhetoric renders minorities invisible. ACN ranks Pakistan as a country of persecution.
A bishop in northern Nigeria reports that persecution by Boko Haram has strengthened local Catholic faith. He attributes two priest kidnappings to divine intervention, noting one priest was released after 51 days and another escaped after praying a novena. An auxiliary bishop reports increased church attendance and vocations. Aid to the Church in Need supports the diocese through seminarian training, refugee aid, and construction. The bishop describes the organization as vital spiritual and financial support for the community.
Residents of Alma el-Chaab in southern Lebanon hope to harvest olives after six months of displacement. Parish priest Maroun Ghafari reports that limited access was granted in September for grove maintenance. Families seek authorization for the mid-October harvest, viewing it as a step toward returning home. Many trees were damaged during the conflict. Displaced families face severe financial hardship and rely on aid. Ghafari notes that return depends on political decisions and access to essentials. The community remains dispersed across Lebanon while praying for peace and unity.
Mexican authorities are investigating the murder of a priest found shot dead in a town in central Mexico. The national bishops’ conference expressed indignation and demanded an exhaustive inquiry into the killing, which occurred in a region dominated by criminal groups fighting over fuel trafficking routes. A threatening note was discovered near the body, though its contents remain undisclosed. A senior bishop highlighted the alarming violence affecting clergy in Mexico. According to Aid to the Church in Need, at least 13 religious leaders were murdered across Latin America in 2023 and 2024, reflecting insecurity in high-conflict areas where religious figures are targeted for their community influence.
Catholic bishops in Nigeria have condemned recent massacres in specific regions. In one area, over 60 worshippers were abducted from a mosque, while 47 people were killed in another. The bishops attribute the violence to jihadist militants and armed herder gangs. They urge authorities to deploy intelligence-led security and bring perpetrators to justice. A senior church leader signed the appeal, which also expresses solidarity with Muslim victims and calls for an end to impunity. Aid organizations continue to support local communities affected by this ongoing instability.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Alex Polinis on UnsplashPersecuted church
At least 47 people were killed by armed gangs in Kenscoff, Haiti, between August 23 and 24. The attackers targeted an evangelical church sheltering displaced residents near Port-au-Prince. Bishop Pierre-André Dumas condemned the violence and urged Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to implement a national emergency plan. The incident highlights the severe insecurity in Haiti, where gangs control large areas and have displaced nearly 1.4 million people. The Catholic Church has also faced significant attacks, with many parishes and schools forced to close due to gang violence and intimidation.
A missionary priest in a village in Niger was kidnapped by Islamist militants and held for over two years across the border in Mali. In an interview, he described his initial despair and subsequent journey toward forgiveness. He stated that the ordeal taught him to pray for his captors and reject violence. The priest emphasized that peace arises from non-violence and love, rather than military force. He thanked supporters for their prayers, which he believes contributed to his release, and urged continued hope for Christian communities facing persecution in the region.
A senior church leader in Cameroon is preparing a peace catechism with support from Aid to the Church in Need. The initiative aims to teach reconciliation to young people in the English-speaking regions, which have suffered from the Anglophone Crisis since 2016. The archbishop notes that approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people have died and nearly a million have been displaced. The text, inspired by Pope Leo XIV, focuses on universal values like human dignity and forgiveness rather than doctrine. It will be distributed to students in Catholic schools to help heal a generation scarred by violence and kidnappings.
A Franciscan priest from a city in northern Syria reported to Aid to the Church in Need that security has deteriorated significantly nearly two years after the fall of the former president. He stated that economic hardship and mass dismissals of civil servants have fueled crime, including kidnappings and theft. The priest reported increased aggression against Christians, citing vandalism of cemeteries and an attack on an Orthodox church in the capital. Despite these challenges and pressure to convert, he noted that the Christian community remains firm in its faith and relies on international support for basic needs and religious education.
Maksym Ryabukha, the Archepiscopal Exarch of Donetsk in Ukraine, told Aid to the Church in Need that half his diocese remains under Russian occupation. He described severe material damage, including the destruction of churches in Kostantynivka, and noted that the danger zone has expanded to fifty kilometers from the front. Despite this, Ryabukha highlighted signs of hope, citing the steadfastness of priests, active youth groups, and increased vocations. He stated that while evil causes great harm, it cannot destroy all goodness, emphasizing community and prayer as sources of strength for the faithful.
A bishop in northern Nigeria told Aid to the Church in Need that Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully in daily life. He argues that insecurity and lack of justice, rather than religious differences, are the primary challenges. While mixed families and shared schools demonstrate harmony, criminal gangs exploit economic struggles and political manipulation. The bishop condemns extrajudicial killings and emphasizes that education and dialogue between religious leaders are essential tools for building a safer, more equal society for all citizens.
A senior church leader in Mozambique reported a sharp increase in crime following an attack on a residence in a northern region. Intruders assaulted two foreign religious sisters and a security guard, who remains in critical condition. The archbishop, who leads the national bishops' conference, clarified that rumors of sexual assault are false but emphasized that the violence highlights growing insecurity. This incident follows similar break-ins in other areas and the unsolved murder of a local bishop. The country also faces a jihadist insurgency in the north, which has caused thousands of deaths and displaced over a million people.
Haiti's Church continues its mission despite armed gangs controlling much of Port-au-Prince and key departments. Legislative and presidential elections originally scheduled for August 30 have been postponed to December due to security concerns. Bishop Joseph Gontrand Décoste describes the Church as the last moral barrier against chaos. Violence has forced the closure of dozens of parishes and resulted in the deaths and kidnappings of clergy and religious sisters. Despite these threats, the Church maintains operations through online education, radio broadcasts, and support for displaced persons, relying on resilience and external aid to sustain its community.
Aid to the Church in Need has joined Catholic bishops in Mexico to demand full religious freedom. They marked the centenary of the 1926 Calles Law, noting that restrictions on worship and education persist. A recent report highlights that organized crime has increased religious discrimination, with ten priests murdered between 2018 and 2024. The foundation urges global leaders to protect this right as clergy face violence for speaking out against criminal groups in the country. The bishops emphasize the need for safety and justice for religious communities facing ongoing threats from illegal organizations.
Aid to the Church in Need suggests Iraq’s successful Christian repatriation could guide Nigeria’s Middle Belt crisis. After ISIS displaced Iraqi Christians, ACN supported their return to the Nineveh Plains between 2017 and 2019. In Nigeria, millions of Christians in Benue State remain displaced due to attacks by Fulani herders. Fr. Remigius Ihyula warns of severe social harms in camps, including high school dropout rates. ACN director Mark von Riedemann argues that government cooperation with local churches could enable similar successful returns, restoring dignity and self-reliance for displaced populations in Benue and potentially Borno State. (Source: Aid to the Church in Need USA)
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