InChains brings you the news about the persecuted Church worldwide. It also brings you resources available for prayer, statistics, and more. Part of being the body of Christ is remembering those that are persecuted. “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” We need to remember and pray for those that are being persecuted, but we also need to pray for those that are doing the persecuting, that they would come to Christ. “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” InChains prays that you will use this knowledge to strategically and specifically pray.

INDIA

When the mob didn’t find the evangelist they were looking for, they beat his mother, wife, and 11 month old child. In addition, they burnt all his grains for the upcoming year, stole chickens, and vandalized his home.

Nine people were assaulted by police and then arrested after members of the BJP falsely accused them of forced conversions. They have since been released from prison but remain under medical care.

A mob of Hindus tore down statues of Jesus and crosses at a catholic cemetery.

IRAN

Nine Christians have lost their appeals against their 5 year sentences. Reports suggest that the judge fast-tracked their case and twisted the system in order to set them up for a failed appeal.

Ramiel Tamare was released early from Evin prison. His parents are still awaiting their appeals which are continually postponed.

NIGERIA

 “We have been reliably informed that Fr. David Echioda has been released by his abductors. Thank you for your prayers and support during this trying time”, says the message from the Nigerian diocese of Otukpo, in the state of Benue, which announces the release of Fr. David Echioda, a priest who had been kidnapped on Sunday March 1st.

Fr. Echioda was abducted by armed men as he returned to the seminary from his missionary outpost in central Nigeria, where he had been celebrating Mass in Utonkon, Ado in the state of Benue, in central Nigeria, according to reports from the Nigerian press.

The kidnapping of Echioda, the latest in a series of abductions and killings in Nigeria which have involved Catholics and other Christians; clergy, seminarians, and lay people, took place on the same day that the country’s Catholic Bishops were leading a march in the capital, Abuja, to peacefully protest the persecution of Christians in the most populous Africa nation (see Fides, 4/3/2020).

“We protest against the brutal killings of innocent Nigerians by Boko Haram and groups of armed herdsmen who violently invade the lands of agricultural populations. We embarked on a peaceful protest on behalf of over 50 million Catholics and over 100 million Christians in Nigeria”, said Archbishop Augustine Akubueze, Archbishop of Benin City and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). “The killing of the children of God is evil, the inability to protect innocent people from incessant attacks is evil, not pursuing terrorists is an evil thing, our government’s response to the terrorist attack is, using an understatement, very below average”, said Archbishop Akubueze who recalled “the massacres, the kidnappings of school-age children, travelers, the destruction of private homes, sacred places such as churches, mosques and seminars”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 5/3/2020)

PAKISTAN

A Christian couple in Pakistan, on death row, are having their appeal read in April 2020.

RESOURCES

PRAYER SHEETS

Barnabas Aid Prayer Sheet for March.

Open Doors March Prayer Calendar

Christian Solidarity Worldwide has a prayer sheet for the week.

REPORTS, BOOKS & MOVIES

China Aid has released its annual report on persecution in China.

OpenDoors released its 2020 World Watchlist Report.

Voice of the Martyrs has a Global Prayer Guide available for free.

For a list of names of those martyred, please see the Martyr Page. Although this list is not everyone, I created it to honor those that have been martyred. If I have been able to find their name, I have recorded it here with a link to what happened.

If you would like to receive more frequent updates on Christian persecution, you can follow the Persecuted Church facebook page. 

FOLLOW ME