SW News: This year, as many as 18 Christian missionaries were killed across the world, as per the information sourced by Agenzia Fides. They include 12 priests, one male religious, three female religious, one seminarian and a lay person.
Most of the killings were recorded in Africa where nine missionaries gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel. They include seven priests and two nuns. Africa was closely followed by Latin America where eight missionaries were murdered. The list of martyrs comprises four priests, one male religious, one nun, one seminarian and one lay person. The continent of Asia witnessed the killing of one priest this year.
Over the past few years, both Africa and Latin America have alternately come in the number one slot where the most number of missionaries were killed. The Americas topped the list from 2011 to 2021 and Africa from 2018 to 2021. Altogether 526 missionaries were killed between 2001 and 2021. The list includes not only ad gentes missionaries, but also all baptized believers who were killed in hatred of the faith.
Fides said they prefer to use the word "missionary" for all the baptized, aware that "in virtue of their Baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples. All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization". It said the missionaries who were killed offer believers images of daily life in difficult situations that are marked by violence , poverty and lack of justice.
Among them are priests who were killed just as they were on their way to celebrate Mass, a nun doctor who was slain at the diocesan health center and a missionary who was killed during an attack while trying to save girls in the dormitory of the mission. Another martyr was a lay pastoral worker who was going to church to lead the liturgy of the word for the believers as they did not have a resident priest.