Seventeen Catholic missionaries killed in 2025, 10 of them in Africa
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
Seventeen missionaries were killed across the globe in 2025, 10 of whom died in Africa, five of which in Nigeria, according to the Fides News Agency, a service of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
As the year draws to a close, and with it the Jubilee of Hope, Fides released its annual report on December 30, reporting the deaths of missionaries and pastoral workers across the world.
Every year, Fides highlights the stories of priests, religious, seminarians, and laypeople who dedicate their lives to serving Christ and the Church, often in contexts marked by violence, poverty, and injustice.
According to the 2025 report, 10 priests, 2 seminarians, 2 catechists, 2 religious sisters, and 1 layman lost their lives. This year marked an increase in deaths compared to 2024, when 14 missionaries were killed. From 2000 to 2025, Fides has accounted for the deaths of 626 missionaries or pastoral workers.
The 2025 report underlines that it takes into account a broad definition of 'missionaries,' saying it includes all Catholics who are involved in some way in pastoral activities and are killed in violent circumstances, whether or not their deaths met the strict criteria for martyrdom.
Many Catholic deaths in Africa and Nigeria
The African continent remains one of the most dangerous continents for missionary work, with 10 deaths in 2025.
Of these, 6 of those killed were priests, 2 were seminarians, and 2 were catechists. The countries affected were Burkina Faso, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Nigeria, which account for half of the deaths.
In an interview with Fides, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who is Nigerian, said, “All of this is a source of profound sadness” and “also a bit of shame.”
“Nigeria is one of the countries with the most religious population in the world: a nation of believers, Christians, and Muslims. We all claim to be people of peace,” he insisted.
The Archbishop said he hopes to see the Muslim population also “denounce and reject the use of their religion to commit acts of violence.”
“We must all reject any justification for using religion to perpetrate violent acts, even to the point of taking people's lives,” he continued.
In the interview, Archbishop Nwachukwu highlighted that these Christians did not die trying to be heroes but were struck by violence in their daily lives, such as in seminaries or schools.
He emphasized that the Nigerian government should do more to defend and protect innocent people and improve the security situation in the country.
Other continents affected
The Fides report mentions how another continent which has often topped this “tragic ranking” in the past is the Americas.
After Africa, it is the region most affected this year, with 4 missionaries being killed in 2025, 2 priests in Mexico and the United States, and 2 religious sisters in Haiti.
In Asia, one priest in Myanmar and one layman, a teacher in the Philippines, lost their lives. Lastly, in Europe, one priest was killed in Poland.
Killed while serving the Church
Among the stories underlined by Fides is that of the young Nigerian seminarian, Emmanuel Alabi, who died in July during a forced march imposed on him by his kidnappers, who had attacked the minor seminary in Ivianokpodi and wounded him.
They also mention the story of religious sisters Evanette Onezaire and Jeanne Voltaire, both of whom belonged to the Little Sisters of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who murdered in March by armed gang members in Haiti.
Lastly, Fides highlights Father Donald Martin, the first Burmese Catholic priest killed in the conflict that has plagued Myanmar. His lifeless and mutilated body was found in February by several of his parishioners in the church complex.
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