Pope Leo’s Visit To Turkey: New Report Reveals The Harsh Reality Christians Are Facing

This week, as Pope Leo XIV visits the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople for the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the European Centre for Law and Justice is publishing a major new report: “The Persecution of Christians in Turkey.”

This pontifical visit comes at a critical moment. Anatolia, the cradle of the early Church, was once a land filled with Christian communities: Greek, Armenian, Syriac, Chaldean, and others.

Yet, within a century, the Christian population has collapsed from 20% in 1915 to just 0.3% today.

This is no accident. This is the result of, genocides and pogroms, forced deportations and systematic discrimination, and the long-term attempt to shape a religiously homogeneous nation.

Today, for the 257,000 Christians who remain, persecution is still part of their daily life:

• armed attacks on churches,
• anti-Christian hate speech in the media and schools,
• interference in patriarchal elections and denial of legal personality to churches,
• expropriations of community foundations,
• closure of clergy seminaries,
• hundreds of expulsions of foreign pastors and Christian workers under vague “national security” regulations,
• pressure on Christian converts from a Muslim background.

The ECLJ knows these cases well. We helped secure the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson in 2018, after two years of arbitrary detention.

The ECLJ  intervenes regularly before the European Court of Human Rights to defend persecuted Christians and minority churches.

A Report Sent to Governments, Media, and Diplomatic Missions

The ECLJ has just released one of the most comprehensive report available today on the persecution of Christians in Turkey.

It is being shared with journalists, members of the European Parliament, embassies and diplomats, the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly.

Our message is clear: political relationship with Turkey can't ignore the plight of its Christian minorities.

As early as September, President Trump secured a commitment from President Erdoğan to work toward the reopening of the Halki Theological School.

We now call for concrete progress on this issue.

Why Your Support Matters

Our work to denounce what's going on in Turkey is critical because Christians in Turkey cannot freely denounce what they endure. That is why your support is crucial: You can help them!

We are urging the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to formally address the situation of Christians in Turkey. Under Rule 71, the Assembly will have to examine our petition and decide whether to open a report and issue recommendations to Turkey.

Add your voice. Sign and share our petition today: