Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said on March 3 that Christians are currently the most persecuted religious community in the world. He made these remarks during a conference in Geneva titled “Standing with Persecuted Christians: Defending the Faith and Christian Values.”
Balestrero highlighted that nearly 400 million Christians globally experience persecution or violence, and almost 5,000 were killed for their faith in 2025—an average of 13 people each day. He described these victims as martyrs “in the etymological sense of the term,” explaining they are witnesses “to their creed who embody values that challenge the logic of power.”
The archbishop also addressed international law, emphasizing that Christians suffer from “outrageous human rights violations” and underscored states’ responsibility to protect freedom of religion or belief. “It is the state’s duty to protect freedom of religion or belief, which includes preventing third parties from violating this right. This protection has to safeguard believers who are targeted, before, during, and after an attack,” he said.
Balestrero pointed out impunity for those who harm Christians as a major issue in global religious persecution. He referenced a recent report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights documenting over 760 hate crimes against Christians in Europe in 2024 alone.
He further noted that persecution can take more subtle forms such as marginalization or exclusion from social and professional life—even in traditionally Christian regions—and through legal norms or administrative practices that restrict recognized rights.
The archbishop concluded by expressing concern for millions facing such challenges worldwide and called attention to both overt violence and less visible restrictions affecting Christian communities.
