Christians faced ‘unacceptable hostility’ over Christmas, says the Church of South India

Church leaders in India called for governmental condemnation of growing violence and harassment of Christians over the Christmas period.

On December 23rd, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) released a statement expressing ‘deep anguish’ at the ‘alarming rise in attacks on Christians… during the Christmas season’. Then, on December 25^th 2025 (Christmas Day), the Church of South India (United) published a statement expressing ‘its deep concern and condemnation of’ a ‘series of incidents’ involving intimidation, harassment, and the disruption of Christmas celebrations across several parts of India.

These statements refer to attacks on carol singers, vandalism of Christmas decorations, abusing those trying to attend Christmas services, humiliation of those wearing or selling Christmas-themed apparel and anti-national and Hindu-national groups such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), reportedly disrupting Christmas gatherings.

Despite the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s recent Christmas visit to a Protestant cathedral in New Delhi, illegal incidents against Christians and Christmas celebrations have intensified in recent weeks. 

In 2024, India recorded an average of more than two attacks on its Christian minority each day, totalling 834 documented incidents—the highest in the nation’s history, as reported by the local group United Christian Forum (UCF). The incidents represent a more than 555% increase over the decade from 2014 to 2024.

The Madras Courier reported on the paradox that while the Prime Minister of India ‘was participating in a widely televised Christmas Eve Mass at a church in Delhi, marked by messages praising harmony, compassion, and India’s multi-religious traditions, Christians celebrating Christmas came under vicious attack by members of various Sangh Parivar outfits’, which translates to ‘Family of the RSS’.

India Today NE reported one such incident, stating that on Christmas Eve, members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, Hindutva right-wing groups, entered St Mary’s School in Panigaon, Nalbari. ‘They destroyed and set fire to all Christmas decorations prepared at the school, replicating earlier attacks on Christmas items in various commercial establishments across Nalbari town.’

The statement from C. Fernandas Rathina Raja, the General Secretary of the Church of South India (CSI), shared that Christians engaged in the peaceful celebration of Christmas in regions such as Delhi (Lajpat Nagar), Palakkad (Kerala), Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) and Hisar (Haryana) and numerous other states have experienced pressure, hostility, threats, interference, vandalism and coercive moral policing.

The statement said: ‘Until now, we have never witnessed so many incidents, especially on Christmas Day or during Christmas celebrations.’ The statement remarked that these events raise a serious concern and asked: ‘Are Christians slowly being pushed into a situation where they can no longer feel safe or free to practise their faith? When even peaceful Christmas celebrations are met with threats or disruptions, it spreads fear and insecurity among people.’

Article 25 of India’s Constitution guarantees citizens that ‘all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion’, but the latest wave of intimidation against Christians calls the implementation of this into question.

C. Fernandas Rathina Raja of the Church of South India wrote that ‘these rights are the foundation of our pluralistic and secular democratic framework. Any attempt to intimidate, silence, or marginalise individuals on the basis of their faith not only violates these constitutional freedoms but also undermines the ethos of mutual respect for which our nation has long been admired.’

Affirming an ongoing commitment to stand in solidarity with those whose freedom of religion is challenged, the Church of South India’s statement mourns for those ‘who have been subject to harassment during a season meant for joy, peace and reconciliation.’ It calls for ‘civil society, religious leaders of all faiths, and governmental authorities at every level to uphold the rule of law, ensure the safety of minority communities, and foster conditions in which all citizens can celebrate their festivals without fear or discrimination.’

This article was originally published on https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2026/01/christians-faced-%E2%80%98unacceptable-hostility%E2%80%99-over-christmas,-says-the-church-of-south-india.aspx