Martyred and Persecuted for the Christian Faith

March 29, 2026

Introduction: On behalf of the Knights of Columbus, welcome to the Rosary for Persecuted Christians. Whenever a Fifth Sunday of the month occurs, we pray in solidarity with and for the religiously persecuted and martyred, for Christians in particular. It is sad that so many are persecuted for faith in Jesus, but we believe what Jesus says to us at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:10 – “blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

At each decade of the rosary, we will pray for a specific petition for a recent event in the world. It is our hope that sharing these current events informs you, increases your awareness of worldwide religious persecution, and moves us to more intense prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

First mystery – The Resurrection of our Lord: Here is a bad news/good news story from northern Nigeria's Kaduna State. On Sunday, January 18, around 9:30 am, armed men on motorcycles and on foot stormed three churches, kidnapping a total of 177 worshipers. This region, a Christian-majority area, has been plagued with insecurity and attacks. The victims, were forced into the bush under the threat of being shot if they tried to escape. Now for the good news, 11 escaped within the first couple of days and within a couple of weeks the remaining victims were safely released. Let us pray for an end to religious violence and for all levels of government to diligently, impartially, and transparently address the violence and its effects.

Second mystery – The Ascension of our Lord into Heaven:  On March 8, 2026, during International Women’s Day, radical feminist groups vandalized several churches in several different cities across Mexico. Paint was thrown, graffiti was sprayed, and the doors of a 17th-century church in San Luis Potosí (poe-toe-SEE) were even set on fire. In response, Christians throughout the country formed human chains outside their churches, standing shoulder to shoulder, to protect these sacred places with their own bodies. Let us pray for these courageous individuals protecting their houses of worship and for the softening of the hearts of those being hostile to Christians there.

Third mystery – The Descent of the Holy Spirit: Local people in the Arsi region of central Ethiopia describe the area as a historically peaceful area with a blend of Muslims and Orthodox Christians. Unfortunately, on 26 February, extremists stormed a market there, opening fire on citizens. Twenty Orthodox Christians were killed, including a priest, and one Muslim guard. Several others have disappeared – it is likely they were kidnapped. The attackers entered an Ethiopian Orthodox church shouting religious chants before shooting at those inside. The assailants moved on to set fire to homes and crops, causing the residents to panic and flee to nearby towns for refuge. Let us pray for the safety of Ethiopian Christians and Muslims, and for their right to freely and openly practice their faith.

 Fourth mystery – The Assumption of Mary: Chinese courts sentenced Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison on 9 February 2026 for conspiring to undermine national security. Recall Mr. Lai, who is currently 78 years old, is a businessman and media mogul in Hong Kong, China, operating a pro-democracy newspaper called the Apple Daily. He was baptized as a Catholic in 1997 by Cardinal Joseph Zen. He was arrested in 2020 and spent much of his prison time in solitary confinement.  Let us pray God remains with Mr. Lai and may Christians throughout the world be inspired by his faithfulness in light of his persecution and suffering.

Fifth mystery – The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth:

Last month it was reported that Chinese Christian Deacon Jang of the Church in Chains was released from prison in North Korea. He was freed after serving 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence. Officials from North Korea abducted Deacon Jang from Chinese territory for sharing Christianity with North Koreans who had crossed the border seeking food, medicine, and shelter. Many do not survive these prison sentences. Let us pray in gratitude for his surviving this ordeal and his return to his family. Let us also pray for his abductors that they and the North Korean officials receive the Holy Spirit and accept salvation through Jesus Christ.

References

1. https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/ethiopia-orthodox-church-attack/

2. https://www.facebook.com/CatholicTraditionEvangelization/posts/christians-in-mexico-united-to-protect-their-churches-from-acts-of-vandalismon-m/1415195007313879/

3. https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/177-nigerian-worshipers-kidnapped-in-3-church-attacks/ and https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g3v4pjwgjo and https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DsFeEuUDh/

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Lai

5. https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/north-korea-pastor-released/