Europe, February 10, 2025
Photo: intoleranceagainstchristians.eu
Systematic violence against Christians in Europe is on the rise, as documented in the latest annual report by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe), an Austrian NGO that monitors the situation regarding religious freedoms.
Drawing from data spanning 35 European nations, the report reveals a troubling pattern of anti-Christian incidents in 2023.
Of the total 2,444 documented hate crimes against Christians, 232 involved direct personal attacks, ranging from harassment to physical violence. France remained the epicenter of these incidents, accounting for approximately 1,000 cases, many involving church vandalism, arson, and defacement with anti-Christian messages.
Following France, the United Kingdom recorded over 700 incidents, while Germany experienced an alarming surge—incidents more than doubled from 135 in 2022 to 277 in 2023, representing a 105% increase.
Christian converts from Muslim backgrounds are especially at risk of violence if their Christian faith is discovered. Christians also continue to face discrimination precisely for their Christian beliefs. “Recent evidence has revealed widespread discrimination against Christians in the workplace and in various areas of society,” the report states, particularly pointing to traditional beliefs such as that God created human beings as male and female.
The report concludes:
With increasing secularization leading to growing religious illiteracy among public leaders and the influence of secularist ethics, Christians in Europe to continue to face restrictions on the exercise of their religious freedom, including the right to express religious views on various issues relating to human nature and human relationships. Public awareness and government action are therefore needed more than ever.
By raising awareness and providing data as well as a thorough human rights analysis about these developments, OIDAC Europe hopes to contribute to the safeguarding of religious freedom of Christians and all believers across Europe. As freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is a cornerstone for free and democratic societies, we hope that states will not compromise on the protection of these fundamental rights, and thus ensure an open and peaceful climate in our societies.
A report from the General Secretariat for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports of Greece revealed that the Greek Orthodox Church also faced record number of attacks in 2023.
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