Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad: ‘The only option we have is dialogue'

By Kielce Gussie – Assisi More than 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith around the world, according to the World Watch List 2026. Their report shows one in seven Christians around the world suffer persecution. In the past month alone, in Nigeria, on October 9, nine Christians were killed in Benue State by extremists who traditionally increase attacks as harvest time nears for Christian farmers. In Jordan, a Greek Orthodox church was attacked on October 23, killing nine people and injuring at least 34 others during a funeral service. Sixty Christians were killed in a series of attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. In a world where religious minorities face persecution in various countries, the lives of men, women, and children recount stories of faith.

These are not legends of thousands of years ago. Rather, they are the reality for many people today. The example of modern martyrs was the topic of discussion at one of the panels on the last morning of the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi. Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, Paul III Nona, stressed that in a world where religious beliefs are not always welcomed, martyrs offer a “good way to think about unity.” A common ground Being in Assisi, at a meeting dedicated to dialogue, interreligious relations,