Persecution of Christians

As April flowers burst into bloom on the mountain slopes and in the valleys Nagorno Karabakh, there are almost no Armenians there to celebrate the arrival of spring in their ancient homeland.

Between them, Regina Lynch and Philipp Ozores have served over five decades with the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), and this year alone will help oversee 5,000 projects to aid suffering Christians worldwide.

Government restrictions involving religion in 198 countries is at its highest point since Pew Research began tracking such numbers in 2007.

The U.S. Department of State has demanded the release of Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa and other imprisoned Nicaraguan religious leaders following a wave of detentions targeting Catholic clergy over the Christmas season.

Aid to the Church in Need marked Red Wednesday Nov. 15, drawing attention to the worldwide plight of Christians suffering as religious persecution and intimidation of religious minorities becomes a daily occurrence in Canadian cities.