In early October, terrorists killed at least 150 people, including many Christians, in northeastern Burkina Faso, revealing their increasing brutality and determination to spread terror in a country where insurgents now control over half of the territory.   On Sunday, October 6th, a new terrorist attack took place in the town of Manni, in the East Region of Burkina Faso. Various local sources told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the death toll exceeded 150. The town is home ...

Hundreds of thousands of children from several countries, including those which are suffering from conflicts, such as Ukraine, Lebanon and the Holy Land, or those where Christian persecution remains fierce, such as Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Cameroon, have confirmed they will be participating in the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” prayer campaign, organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The Holy Father also made reference to the initiative this Sunday, during the Angelus prayer, saying: “Next Friday, ...

A church sheltering displaced people was hit in a missile attack, killing at least eight in Derdghaya, southern Lebanon, on Wednesday, October 9th, according to local Church sources.  The sources told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the church and two of its adjoining halls, which were used as a refuge in the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre, collapsed in the airstrike.  They added that another missile hit a priest’s house and a three-story building ...

During a recent trip to the Holy Land, an ACN delegation spoke to young people and those involved in youth ministry in different regions, and found that all of them have significant challenges, and many turn to their faith for solace and hope.   One year after the terrorist attack that began the current war in Gaza, young Christians in the Holy Land are feeling lost and hopeless about life ever returning to normal.  “In our culture, we don’t leave our ...

As the bishop of Latin rite Catholics in Syria, the Franciscan Hanna Jallouf is very familiar with Idlib Governorate, the last rebel stronghold, where he served as a pastor for 22 years until his appointment as bishop in September 2023. In a conversation with an ACN delegation, he reports on the challenges for Christians who remained there. “Of the 10,000 or so Christians who lived in Idlib Governorate before the war, there are today only about 650, mainly older people ...

Christians have been directly affected by the attacks in many regions of Lebanon, and the Church is struggling to help all those who have had to flee their homes for safer regions. The pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has announced an emergency campaign to raise at least 1 million dollars to assist the Church in Lebanon, as it strives to cope with the tremendous challenges caused by Israeli airstrikes and ground assault. The attacks, which are ...