By Charles Igwe
A senior Vatican diplomat, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, has raised concerns about what he described as growing “Christianophobia” — hostility and discrimination against Christians — in both parts of the Muslim world and increasingly secular societies in the West.
The Archbishop, secretary of the Section of First Evangelization at the Dicastery for Evangelization, said the issue must be addressed openly if the Church is to promote peace and coexistence. He pointed to areas where Christians lack full religious freedom, arguing that anti‑Christian violence and discrimination must be clearly condemned as part of any serious discussion about harmony between religions.
The archbishop described instances he witnessed during his diplomatic service — including situations in Algeria where Christians at times were treated as outsiders — and said these experiences illustrate ongoing challenges for Christians in several Muslim-majority contexts. He stressed that his criticism is not directed at Islam as a religion, but at ways in which some people’s practice of it results in restrictions or hostility toward Christian communities.
At the same time, Archbishop Nwachukwu warned of a cultural drift in Western Europe and other secular societies, where Christianity’s role and symbols are increasingly marginalized. He argued that public spaces and institutions sometimes treat Christian expression differently from other religions, reflecting a discomfort with Europe’s own
Christian heritage. This, he suggested, has contributed to a form of Christianophobia that goes beyond legal restrictions and enters cultural prejudice.
Despite these concerns, he also pointed to signs of hope, noting the growing presence of missionaries from Africa and Asia in Western countries as a positive force for rekindling Christian identity and commitment in societies where secularism has taken deep root.
