Report: Attacks on religious sites declined in Greece, but Orthodox Church remains top target

According to the annual report of the General Secretariat for Religious Affairs of Greece, the number of attacks on religious sites in the country decreased significantly in 2024, but the Orthodox Church remains the main target of attacks. A total of 412 incidents were recorded, a marked decrease from 608 in 2023, but the figure is still a cause for concern, according to the agency.

According to ORTHODOXIA NEWS AGENCY, of the 412 incidents reported in 2024, the vast majority — 399 incidents (96.84%) — targeted Orthodox Church facilities. These incidents included burglary, vandalism, sacrilege, grave desecration, arson, and other types of offenses.

Other religious communities were also affected by the attacks. The report recorded 5 incidents against Jewish sites, mostly of an anti-Semitic nature (1.21% of the total), 3 incidents related to Islam (0.73%), and 5 cases targeting other Christian denominations, including the Old Believers, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Secretary General for Religious Affairs Georgios Kalantzis noted in his opening remarks that the current report marks the tenth anniversary of the initiative, which was launched in 2015. He emphasized that in that time, the publication of the report has evolved from a reform to an established practice that serves two purposes: «credible and reliable recording of incidents» and «informing about the institutional framework that guarantees and protects religious freedom in Greece.»

Recall, earlier we reported on amass kidnapping in the Niger state of Nigeria: on November 22, 2025, an armed group attacked St. Mary’s Catholic School, taking 303 students and 12 teachers hostage. Although 50 children managed to escape, the fate of 253 students and 12 teachers remains unknown, which has caused serious concern both domestically and internationally.