Number of violent deaths among Catholic clergy worldwide has grown

According to the aid organization "Aid to the Church in Need," the number of Catholic clergy and religious who died violent deaths worldwide in 2025 has increased compared to the previous year. A total of 19 church workers were killed violently, including 15 priests, two seminarians, and two nuns. Many of these deaths were connected to kidnappings, armed conflicts, or targeted attacks, particularly in countries like Nigeria, Sudan, Myanmar, or Mexico. This was reported by EWTN.

As the organization announced, the number of imprisoned clergy had significantly decreased during the same period. While worldwide in 2025, 28 priests and religious were still imprisoned or deprived of their freedom for religious reasons, this number was significantly higher the previous year. This is primarily due to extensive releases in Nicaragua. In contrast, arrests continued to occur in other countries, such as China or India.

Kidnappings of church workers continue to represent a persistent problem. Nigeria is particularly severely affected, with a further increasing number of cases. But kidnappings were also registered from Cameroon, Haiti, Colombia, and Ethiopia. In numerous regions, extremist groups or criminal gangs deliberately use such acts to intimidate the population or extort ransom. The aid organization emphasized that increased international attention could help improve the situation of those kidnapped and secure their release.

Previously, UOJ reported that a man attempted to set fire to a Catholic church in Bruck an der Leitha.

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