European authorities downplay scale of Christian persecution, report says

Icon of Mater Dolorosa ("Sorrowful Mother of God"). Photo: Musee-unterlinden

On December 18, 2025, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) and the Observatory published the report "Christianophobia and Anti-Christian Hatred in Europe" (OIDAC), stating that crimes against Christians in European countries are increasing and that their true scale is being underestimated by state authorities.

According to the report, in 2024, at least 2,211 crimes against Christians were recorded in 35 European countries, including 274 cases of physical violence. These include arson of churches, acts of vandalism, desecration of holy sites, threats, and attacks on clergy and believers. The authors of the report emphasize that the actual numbers may be significantly higher.

The document notes that in many countries, anti-Christian acts are not accounted for as hate crimes. For instance, in several states, including Germany, only attacks recognized as politically motivated are included in official statistics, excluding religious motives. Additionally, the affected Christians themselves rarely report to law enforcement agencies, fearing public pressure.

The authors of the report also point to the growth of discrimination against Christians in the public sphere. In addition to physical violence, there are recorded restrictions on freedom of religion, administrative bans on religious practices, and cases of pressure on believers in professional and social environments due to their beliefs.

The ECLJ emphasizes that at the European Union level, there is no separate mechanism to combat Christianophobia, unlike other forms of religious hatred. The report contains a call to officially recognize anti-Christian persecution and strengthen legal protection for Christians in Europe.

Previously, the UOJ wrote that the European Parliament approved the creation of an EU fund for financing abortions.

Read also