Cristianophobia resurfaces in Europe with more than 2,400 attacks against Christians

The term “Christianophobia” has returned to the center of the public debate in Europe, fed by a growing number of incidents against churches, religious and believers symbols.

While the word evokes wounds that the continent knows for a long time, its resurgence indicates a new challenge for the Christian presence in public life. What has revived these latent tensions and could the campaigns that denounce the Christian -phobia be also encouraging many to rediscover the faith and the Church?

More than 1,000 people recently met at the Place of the Paris Nation for break the silence Around persecution against Christians. The march – the first of its kind in the French capital – was organized in response to the Iraqi Christian refugee murder Ashur Sarnyawhose death was recorded on video. Christians of multiple denominations joined in the demonstration, carrying crosses and waving flags of France, Lebanon, Iraq and other countries.

The data

The term “Christianophobia” is not new, but gives a name to realities documented by statistics.

In one Written response To a consultation of the European Commission, it was revealed that only in 2023 there were 2,444 incidents of violence against Christians in 35 European countries, including 1,000 cases in France.

According to the Observatory of the Intolerance and discrimination against Christians in Europethe attacks were from the desecration of Christian churches and symbols (62%of cases), to causes caused (10%), threats (8%) and direct acts of violence (7%).

The term is not alien to international discourse either. The United Nations adopted it in resolution 72/177, which urges states to combat actions motivated by Christianophobia, together with anti -Semitism and Islamophobia. In some contexts, alternative terms such as anti -Christian discrimination are used or hate Christians to soften the psychological burden that carries the word “phobia.”

‘A notable spiritual renewal’

Amid the increase in tensions and attacks, the Church in France – and in Europe in general – is experiencing a notable spiritual renewal, especially among young people. Statistics show a significant increase in the number of baptisms and confirmations, with many young adults rediscovering their Christian roots.

For example, only during the Easter of 2025, 10,384 people in France received the sacrament of baptism, along with more than 7,400 adolescents who received confirmation. In a striking way, 42% of these new baptisms were from young people between 18 and 25 years, a sign of a growing rebirth of the faith driven by youth.

Translated and adapted by ACI Press. Originally published in Aci mena.