Pope Leo XIV has listed Nigeria among several countries where Christians face discrimination and persecution.
The pope, in a post on his official X account on Sunday, emphasised the need for peace as a divine virtue.
“In various parts of the world, Christians suffer discrimination and persecution. I think especially of Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries from which we frequently hear of attacks on communities and places of worship,” he wrote.
“God is a merciful Father who desires peace among all His children! I accompany in prayer the families of Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where in recent days there has been a massacre of civilians.
Let us pray that all violence may cease and that believers may work together for the common good.”
Leo’s message comes amid persistent reports of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Last month, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Pontifical foundation, released a report placing Nigeria among 24 countries where religious freedom is “seriously violated.”
“The nature of persecution varies across different contexts. In eight countries—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan and Yemen—it results from a combination of authoritarian governance and religious extremism,” the report said.
However, during the report’s presentation in Rome, Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, downplayed the strictly religious interpretation of Nigeria’s insecurity crisis.
“We should also recognise that many Muslims in Nigeria are themselves victims of this same intolerance,” Parolin said. “These are extremist groups that make no distinctions in pursuing their goals. They use violence against anyone they see as an opponent.”
His remarks have triggered anger among some Catholic clergy.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has re-designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) due to ongoing reports of violations.
But the Nigerian federal government has rejected this classification, insisting that the country remains secular.
