A new Vatican-led investigation has revealed that over 1,600 Christians worldwide have been killed because of their faith in the past 25 years.
The report, compiled by a panel of theologians, historians, and Church experts, draws on authenticated testimonies, media accounts, and evidence gathered from bishops’ conferences and religious and institutions.
Backed by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the study highlights the global scope of Christian martyrdom in the modern era.
According to the findings, between 2000 and 2025, at least 1,624 Christians were murdered for refusing to renounce their beliefs.
Sub-Saharan Africa saw the highest number of victims (643), followed by Asia and Oceania (357), the Americas (304), the Middle East and North Africa (277), and Europe (43).
High-profile cases include the 200 Christians killed in coordinated bombings against Catholic and Protestant churches on Easter Sunday 2019 in Sri Lanka, as well as seven Anglican members from the Melanesian Brotherhood murdered in the Solomon Islands in 2003 while attempting to resolve a local dispute.
Archbishop Fabio Fabene, the head of the commission, noted: “Martyrdom has existed in every age of the Church, but perhaps now more than in the past, many surrender their lives in order not to betray the message of Christ.”
Dr Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant’Egidio Community and the commission’s deputy, cautioned that the true number of martyrs is likely far greater “as martyrdom cannot be fully counted, especially in remote areas.”
The late Pope Francis, who commissioned the investigation in 2023, had called for all Christian denominations to be remembered, not just Catholics.
At the time, he had urged them to “gather the testimonies of life, up to the shedding of blood, of these sisters and brothers of ours, so that their memory can stand as a treasure cherished by the Christian community". He also stated that "to all of them we owe a great debt, and we cannot forget them".
The current pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, invited church leaders across traditions to join a memorial service at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome on Sunday as part of the Jubilee of Hope.
Dr Riccardi described the martyrs as “men and women who believed in a God who was faithful to them even in adverse circumstances".
"The Church regards the memory of the martyrs not as a moment of sorrow but as hope for the future," he said.
He continued: “The work of this commission and the ecumenical ceremony on Sunday 14th September show that our Church is still a Church of martyrs and that they have much to teach us.
“We are contemporaries of these people whom we could have met and known personally in our lifetime.”
ACN’s international executive president, Regina Lynch, said the discoveries of the report “reflect the experience of our work on the ground, helping communities that face constant existential threats".
She added: “ACN is very proud to stand with and support these Christians, but above all we are grateful to learn from their testimony, which strengthens our faith, and that of our benefactors every day.”
