17 Catholic Missionaries Killed in 2025 - One Priest Strangled in Poland

According to the annual report published by Fides News Agency on 30 December, a total of 17 Catholic missionaries and pastoral workers were killed worldwide in 2025.
The victims included 10 priests, two seminarians, two catechists, two religious sisters and one layman.
For comparison, 14 missionaries were killed in 2024. Since the year 2000, Fides has recorded the deaths of 626 missionaries and pastoral workers worldwide.
Africa Most Affected Continent
It accounted for 10 of the 17 deaths in 2025, including six priests, two seminarians, and two catechists.
The affected countries included Burkina Faso, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Nigeria, where five of the deaths were recorded.
In an interview with Fides, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, described the situation in Nigeria as one of 'deep sadness' and 'shame'.
He stressed that those killed were not seeking heroism, but were attacked during ordinary daily activities, such as at schools or …More