Eritrea Expels Catholic Missionaries

President Isaias Afewerki
President Isaias Afewerki

The Eritrean government has ordered the expulsion of thirteen Catholic missionaries, according to reports from the missionary news agency MISNA and the Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA). Expulsion orders were issued on November 6 to four Comboni fathers (two Mexicans, a Filipino and a Kenyan), two Comboni sisters, two Pavonian fathers, two Filipino Pius Teachers, two nuns of an unspecified congregation and a lay Italian missionary who works as secretary for the Bishop of Barentu. They were told that they had fourteen days to leave the country.

The reasons for the expulsion remain unclear but sources told MISNA that two years ago the government gave notice to some missionary institutes to prepare local personnel in anticipation of a planned exit of foreigners from the nation. The Voice of the Martyrs believes that this expulsion is part of a wider plan by the Maoist dictatorship of President Isaias Afewerki to destroy or control Christianity in the east Africa nation.

Please pray for Eritrean Christians as they continue to suffer harassment at the hands of the Eritrean government. Pray for the many who are in prison because of their religious work.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Eritrea, go to the Eritrea Country Report.

  • Country Information

    Population
    6,274,796 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Tigrinya (50), Tigre (30), Saho (4), Afar (4) Kunama (4), Bilen (3), other (5)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (47.4), Christianity (48.8), other (3.8)

    Leader
    President Isaias Afworki (1993)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system
    Mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law

    Sources: CIA World Factbook, Operation World

  • Pray for Eritrea

    Ask the Lord to provide imprisoned Eritrean believers a means of escape and a place of safe refuge. Pray for Him to also work deeply in the hearts of the country's governing officials so they will grant His people the freedom to worship Him and glorify His matchless name. Mindful of their own human frailties, may these political leaders realize the need to make Jesus their own personal Saviour and Lord by accepting His gift of eternal salvation.

Eritrea News

  • Christians Imprisoned for 20 Years Without Charge
    Rev G. Gebregiorgis, Kiflu Gebremeskel, Futsum Gebrenegus, Meron Gebreselasie, Tekleab Mengisteab, Haile Nayzgi
    Photos: Christian Solidarity Worldwide / Human
    Rights Concern Eritrea / Release Eritrea

    On May 23rd, 2004, Eritrean authorities arrested two pastors from the Full Gospel Church in Eritrea: Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel and Pastor Haile Nayzgi. The arrests were made in response to a government ban instituted in 2002 against all but four of the country's religious communities. Throughout 2004, arrests continued against pastors of the banned organization, which consisted of between 120 and 150 home church congregations at the time. Pastor Meron Gebreselasie was arrested in June 2004. Then in November of that year, Dr. Futsum Gebrenegus, Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab and Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregiorgis were also detained.

  • Recent Passing of Imprisoned Church Leader
    Reverend Ghirmay Araya
    Reverend Ghirmay Araya
    Photo: Release Eritrea

    Reverend Ghirmay Araya was one of the founders of the Full Gospel Church in Eritrea. Under the country's oppressive regime, the denomination was banned in 2002 and its senior leaders were imprisoned in 2004. Over the decades since, thousands of other Eritreans have been imprisoned for their faith, often enduring torture and inhumane treatment.

  • At Least 30 Arrested at a Birthday Gathering
    A birthday cake with a candle in the shape of the numeral
     

    On January 20th, 30 Christian adults, plus an unknown number of children, were arrested in Eritrea when police raided a party that was held in celebration of an infant's first birthday. The incident took place in the capital city of Asmara at the home of a Christian couple who was hosting a gathering of family and friends to celebrate the birthday of their firstborn child.

  • More Christian Youth Released from Prison
    A microphone is in the foreground and an open laptop is in the background.

    In April 2023, more than 100 talented Christian young people, who are members of a musical group known as the Mahalians, were arrested after recording songs of praise which they had intended to share on YouTube. The government deemed their recording session to be an illegal church gathering. For more details, go to this page.