The Via Crucis of persecuted Christians during Holy Week

Holy Week should be a time of peace for Jesus' followers in countries where they are persecuted. Instead, it is a time when the pressure on Christians increases. In fact, some of the worst attacks against members of this community have occurred around this time in recent years, especially in Africa and Asia. Last year, almost 100 people were killed in Nigeria for their faith during Holy Week.

"Actions to frighten and discourage Christians"

The Open Doors organization points out that the attacks against churches or the faithful gathered on these dates are not coincidental. These attacks are meant to "frighten and discourage Christians who live in countries where there is persecution. Victims include parents, Sunday school teachers, children, grandparents and pastors. Survivors have to live with the pain of losing their loved ones and with the physical, emotional and mental consequences of the tragedy."

Nigeria, the deadliest country for Christians

Nigeria is the country where it is most deadly to proclaim the faith of Christ, and, paradoxically, it is one where the faithful and priestly vocations are growing the most. Reports from the Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) and the Open Doors organization agree that it is the country with the highest number of murdered Christians in 2023. Last year, at least 94 people were killed as a result of persecution during Holy Week.

It all started when a child was murdered and a pastor was kidnapped along with several worshipers of a Pentecostal church on Palm Sunday. A Catholic village in Upokpo County was attacked two days later. On Good Friday, at least 43 people were killed and another 40 were injured when a group of armed men attacked a Catholic school where Christian farmers and their families were taking refuge.

On Easter Sunday 2021, two suicide bombers tried to kill believers outside a religious service in Makassar, Indonesia. They detonated the explosive devices just as the faithful were leaving the premises. Miraculously, only 20 people were injured. The only people who died were the attackers.

Sri Lanka 2019, the most devastating massacre of Christians during Holy Week

Two years earlier, the victims were not so lucky. Other suicide bombers - in this case, up to seven - killed 259 people (45 children) and injured another 500 in various bombings at three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka while celebrating Easter. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in which 176 children lost one or both parents. "When we got to the church, people were running away. I didn't even try to look for my son because I already knew Malkiya was in heaven," Saratha, who lost her 12-year-old son, told Open Doors.

Also in 2019, an Islamic extremist killed 13 people and injured 32 others in Nigeria when he drove a car into a Christian procession on Easter Sunday.

Christian Attacks Holy Week Until 2019. by Israel Duro on Scribd

Kidnappings, forced marriages and attacks

In 2018, although there were no deaths, extremists in India and Pakistan carried out attacks against Christians during Holy Week. In Dharmapuri, a city in India, a pastor was stoned on Good Friday by a crowd while investigating the noises stemming from the destruction of motorcycles parked in front of his church. Sundar Singh was badly injured and had to be admitted to the hospital. Furthermore, the attackers, who faced no repercussions, accused him of "misconduct" towards women. Two days later, in Maradur, 40 people attacked worshipers celebrating Easter Sunday while police refused to intervene.

In Egypt that same year, seven Christian women and girls were kidnapped by radicals to be forcibly married. The families claimed that the police were behind the disappearances.

Egypt, 49 dead in bomb attacks in 2017

The previous year, Christians were attacked in Egypt during Holy Week. Several Islamic extremists attacked two churches in the north of the country with bombs during Palm Sunday services. 49 people lost their lives and more than 110 were injured as a result of the attacks. The Islamic State claimed responsibility. Also in 2017, Christians in Nepal were attacked. A man was shot while returning home from an Easter Sunday celebration and several cars were vandalized.

During Easter 2016, a Taliban group detonated a powerful explosive during the Easter celebration in a park in Punjab. As a result, 74 people were killed (29 children) and more than 300 were injured. In just 48 hours, authorities arrested more than 5,000 suspects.

2015 was one of the deadliest years for Christians during Holy Week. On the Tuesday before Easter, the terrorist group Al-Shabaab murdered 147 Christian students at Garissa University in Kenya. The assailants opened fire on the faithful who were at a prayer meeting on the university campus. The following week, 21 Christians were killed in Syria and another 60 were injured in a rocket attack organized by Syrian rebels against a predominantly Christian residential area.