Seventeen Catholic missionaries and pastoral workers were killed worldwide in 2025, continuing a pattern of violence that has claimed 626 lives since 2000. Africa recorded the deadliest toll with ten deaths, including five in Nigeria alone, where seminarian Emmanuel Alabi died during a forced march by captors. The Americas saw four deaths across Haiti, Mexico, and the United States, while Asia and Europe each reported losses. Priests represented the most vulnerable group, accounting for ten of the seventeen fatalities. The statistics reveal persistent dangers facing those serving in regions marked by conflict and religious persecution, with further details illuminating the broader context.
How dangerous has missionary work become in the 21st century? According to Fides, the Vatican’s missionary news agency, 17 Catholic missionaries and pastoral workers were killed worldwide in 2025, bringing the total to 626 deaths since 2000. Believers are called to pursue purity of heart as they respond to violence and suffering, grounded in grace and forgiveness. The victims included 10 priests, two seminarians, two catechists, two women religious, and one lay teacher, representing a pattern of violence that has persisted for decades across multiple continents.
Since 2000, 626 Catholic missionaries and pastoral workers have been killed worldwide, with 17 deaths recorded in 2025 alone.
Africa recorded the highest number of deaths in 2025, with 10 missionaries killed across five nations. Nigeria accounted for nearly 30 percent of all deaths worldwide, losing five missionaries during the year. The Nigerian victims included priests and seminarians, reflecting broader persecution patterns that have plagued the Christian community through kidnappings for ransom and targeted violence. Among the victims was seminarian Emmanuel Alabi, who died during a forced march by his captors.
Beyond Nigeria, Burkina Faso lost two catechists, while Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Sudan each recorded one priest killed.
The Americas ranked as the second deadliest region in 2025, with four missionaries killed. Haiti suffered the loss of two nuns in late March, while Mexico recorded one priest death discovered in October. The United States also reported one priest of Indian origin killed during the year.
Africa and the Americas have alternated as the leading regions for pastoral worker deaths in recent years, according to Fides data.
Asia recorded two deaths in 2025, including one priest killed in Myanmar amid ongoing armed conflict and one lay teacher killed in the Philippines in November. Europe reported one priest death during the year, contributing to the global total. Poland was among the countries that experienced missionary losses in 2025.
The vocational breakdown reveals that priests remain the most vulnerable group, accounting for 10 of the 17 deaths. Both seminarians were killed in Africa, while both catechists died in Burkina Faso. The two women religious lost their lives in Haiti, and the single lay teacher was killed in the Philippines.
These statistics underscore the risks faced by those serving in pastoral work, particularly in regions affected by instability and religious persecution.
