Millions Of Christians Forced To Mark Christmas In Secret Amid Global Persecution

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

BETHLEHEM/BEIJING (Worthy News) – Millions of Christians around the world are marking Christmas in secret amid persecution, violence, and discrimination, according to investigators.

Advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC) said believers in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia face attacks on churches, arbitrary arrests, forced displacement, and social exclusion as they commemorate the birth of Jesus.

The ICC warned that in some nations, Christmas worship is held secretly for fear of security raids or attacks by extremist groups, while in other countries, believers risk imprisonment simply for attending church services.

ICC said devout Christians in countries such as Brunei, China, Iran, North Korea, and Somalia must celebrate Christmas quietly or face legal consequences, including detention and lengthy prison sentences.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS BANNED OR CONTROLLED

In Brunei, public Christmas displays have reportedly been banned since 2014. While Christians may observe the holiday inside homes or churches, public celebrations are prohibited, according to sources familiar with the situation. Authorities say such displays “could influence Muslims,” who face prison sentences for violations, while Christians are forbidden from evangelizing Muslims.

China allows state-approved churches to hold tightly controlled Christmas services that vary by region, but children under 18 are barred from attending. Authorities continue pressuring churches to align worship with communist ideology, prompting many believers to worship underground in so-called “house churches.”

In Iran, Christmas gatherings are limited to registered churches in approved areas.

Unregistered house churches—especially those involving Muslim converts—are frequently raided, Worthy News documented. Advocacy group Barnabas Aid said that in the latest known cases, two converts began serving two-year prison sentences in November 2025 following a raid on a house church near Tehran, the capital.

WORLD WATCH LIST REVEALS CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION

The World Watch List 2025 by Christian watchdog Open Doors reports that more than 380 million Christians worldwide live under high levels of discrimination or direct threat because of their faith—one in seven Christians globally.

In the 50 most dangerous countries alone, some 310 million believers face extreme or very high levels of persecution, according to investigators.

North Korea again ranked first, as practicing the Christian faith is considered a mortal offense and churches operate entirely underground, Worthy News established.

Conditions are only marginally better in Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan, where Islamist militants, militias, or authoritarian regimes suppress open expressions of faith.

AFRICA, ASIA, DEADLIEST REGIONS FOR BELIEVERS

Africa remains the deadliest region for Christians, with eight of the ten most violent countries located there, according to research data.

In Nigeria, thousands of Christians are killed annually by Fulani militias and jihadist groups, with attacks often intensifying during the Christmas season.

Asia also remains deeply hostile. In Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, Christians risk long prison sentences or death, while attacks linked to Hindu nationalism continue to rise in India.

In Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, governments have imposed harsher restrictions on what they label “foreign influence,” including Christianity.

HUNGARY SUPPORTS PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

Hungary has expressed concern over the reported global persecution of Christians and has become one of the first countries with a government-backed program dedicated to aiding persecuted Christians, providing humanitarian assistance, and advocating for religious freedom abroad.

“As Hungarians prepare to celebrate Christmas in peace, many believers elsewhere dare only to pray in whispers, hide their Bibles, or gather quietly in underground rooms to commemorate the birth of Jesus,” Hungarian media noted.

Rights groups urged governments and international organizations to speak out against persecution and called on Christians worldwide to pray for believers suffering for their faith.

At Christmas, observers note, the contrast is stark: while most Western churches sing carols freely, Christians in countries such as North Korea must worship in secret—if they dare at all.

Advocates also stress that Christians worldwide are part of one “Body of Christ,” citing Scripture that “if one member suffers, all suffer together.” They urge believers in free societies to pray and speak out for freedom of faith and religion, remembering that Jesus Himself was born amid danger and persecution.

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