Gallagher urged to raise anti-Christian violence with Indian officials

The Vatican said the aim of Archbishop Paul Gallagher’s visit to India on 13-19 July was ‘to consolidate and strengthen the bonds of friendship and collaboration’.

Indian Christians urged the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states Archbishop Paul Gallagher to raise the issue of targeted hate crimes against the community in meetings with senior political leaders.

The ecumenical persecution watchdog United Christian Forum (UCF) submitted a memorandum to the archbishop on rising “targeted violence and hostility” against Christians in India. It strongly recommended that the Vatican address Christian persecution during Gallagher’s visit to meet Indian officials last week.

Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi presented the UCF memorandum to Gallagher at the apostolic nunciature in New Delhi on 17 July. It included several key recommendations and requests to the Vatican.

Noting that a record 834 cases of hate crimes against Christians were reported in 2024 as against 734 in 2023, the representation urged the Holy See to issue official statements “condemning the rising incidents of violence and systemic discrimination against Christians in India”. The UCF reported 378 incidents between January and June this year.

It also highlighted the misuse of anti-conversion laws, particularly in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh which last year recorded the highest number of hate crimes. Allegations of fraudulent conversions and the complicity of police, who often refuse to file reports or put the blame on the falsely accused, meant Christians were afraid to approach law enforcement, the memorandum said.

The Vatican said the aim of Archbishop Gallagher’s visit to India on 13-19 July was “to consolidate and strengthen the bonds of friendship and collaboration between the Holy See and the Republic of India”.

At a meeting with the federal Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar on 17 July, he reaffirmed the Vatican’s readiness to work with international organisations and states to foster reconciliation, particularly in regions where violence and injustice persist.

Describing the role of faith in healing societies and restoring hope in a conflict-ridden world, Archbishop Gallagher emphasised the need for dialogue and engagement between religious and political institutions. He said authorities should identify and resolve the root causes of conflict such as poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

Jaishankar and Gallagher agreed that interaction between nations would lead to greater cooperation and more effective responses to the pressing challenges confronting humanity today.

In a social media post, Jaishankar said was “pleased to meet Archbishop Gallagher” and they had a “good conversation about the importance of faith, and the need for dialogue and diplomacy to address conflicts”.

After the meeting, Gallagher visited the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) headquarters in New Delhi and met its president Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Thrissur and the secretaries of the offices of education, labour, legal, tribal affairs and others, enquiring about their respective apostolates. He then celebrated Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, according to the CBCI spokesperson Fr Robinson Rodrigues.

Gallagher had earlier visited Kerala, in southern India, where he led a Mass to mark the seventy-second annual celebrations of Venerable Archbishop Mar Ivanios. He conveyed greetings and an apostolic blessing from Pope Leo to Cardinal Baselios Cleemis of Trivandrum, the Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, and all its faithful.

Nun charged with ‘proselytisation’ as Indian Christians report increase in attacks

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