Last year 132 priests and religious were arrested, abducted or killed globally, according to latest research.
Belarus, China, Nicaragua and Nigeria were identified as the countries where clergy were most under threat. The total figure – up eight on 2022 – only covers confirmed cases , notes Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which conducted the research. The challenges and logistical problems of accessing data in some countries means that the real total is almost certainly higher.
