2444 anti-Christians crimes recorded in Europe over the past year
Persecution of Christians. Photo: focus.ua
In 2023, 2,444 hate crimes against Christians were recorded in 35 European countries, with the highest number of incidents reported in the United Kingdom, according to christiantoday.com.
Research by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) shows that the majority of cases (62%) involved vandalism against churches, followed by desecration of Christian sites (24%), arson (10%), threats (8%), and physical violence (7%).
The report also highlights growing concerns about discrimination against Christians in workplaces and public life. According to a 2024 study by Voice for Justice UK, only 36% of Christians in the UK under the age of 35 feel free to express their Christian views on social issues at work.
OIDAC also drew attention to the persecution of pro-life advocates Adam Smith-Connor and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce for silently praying in the buffer zone of an abortion clinic, calling it "particularly shocking."
Commenting on the findings, OIDAC Europe's Executive Director, Anja Hoffmann, stated: "In particular, Christians who adhere to traditional religious beliefs face increasing discrimination and hostility, ranging from bullying at work to the loss of employment." She emphasized that expressing religious views on marriage and family "has become the potential end of a political career or employment, or even the beginning of a court case."
As previously reported by the UOJ, the U.S. human rights organization Human Rights Watch criticized Law 3894.
Read also
Serbian Patriarch offers condolences over murder of Sviatohirsk Lavra monk
The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church called Sviatohirsk Lavra a refuge for the displaced and urged that the monk’s violent death not be turned into anyone’s weapon.
“Never seen before”: Israel reports record number of Hasidim in Uman
According to an Israeli police representative, 52,000 pilgrims are currently in Uman – 10,000 more than last year. The city itself has a population of about 75,000.
UOC faithful hold prayer vigil outside Lavra for more than 1,000 days
For three and a half years, Orthodox Christians have continued praying for peace and for the preservation of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Zelensky congratulates Jews on Rosh Hashanah
Volodymyr Zelensky wished Jews peace and the triumph of good over evil.
Kyiv Theological Academy publishes book on Orthodoxy in 17th-century Ukraine
With the blessing of the UOC Primate, the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary has published a textbook marking the 430th anniversary of the birth of St. Petro Mohyla.