Seventeen Catholic missionaries killed in 2025, 10 of them in Africa

Seventeen missionaries were killed across the globe in 2025, 10 of whom died in Africa, five of which in Nigeria, according to the Fides News Agency, a service of the Pontifical Mission Societies.

As the year draws to a close, and with it the Jubilee of Hope, Fides released its annual report on December 30, reporting the deaths of missionaries and pastoral workers across the world.

Every year, Fides highlights the stories of priests, religious, seminarians, and laypeople who dedicate their lives to serving Christ and the Church, often in contexts marked by violence, poverty, and injustice.

According to the 2025 report, 10 priests, 2 seminarians, 2 catechists, 2 religious sisters, and 1 layman lost their lives. This year marked an increase in deaths compared to 2024, when 14 missionaries were killed. From 2000 to 2025, Fides has accounted for the deaths of 626 missionaries or pastoral workers.  

The 2025 report underlines that it takes into account a broad definition of 'missionaries,' saying it includes all Catholics who are involved in some way in pastoral activities and are killed in violent circumstances, whether or not their deaths met the strict criteria for martyrdom.