There are more Christian martyrs now than ever before, pope says

Honoring the faith of those Middle East Christians who have faced intense persecution from Islamic radicals, Pope Francis said there are more Christian martyrs now than in the early days of the Church.

"The number of martyrs today is greater than in the early centuries," he said Monday in St. Peter's Square, according to Crux. "When we read the history of the early centuries, here in Rome, we read about so much cruelty to Christians. It’s happening today too, in even greater numbers."

The pope specifically discussed Christians in Iraq, many of whom were able to spend there first Christmas since 2013 in churches, now that many towns have been reclaimed from the Islamic State.

"Today we want to think of them and be close to them with our affection, our prayer and also our tears," Francis said. "In these days, in Iraq, the Christians celebrated Christmas in a cathedral that had been destroyed. That’s an example of fidelity."

"The hardships and dangers notwithstanding, they offer courageous witness by belonging to Christ," he continued, "and they live the Gospel committing themselves in favor of the least, of the most overlooked, doing good to all without distinction."

In the Catholic Church, the day after Christmas is celebrated as the feast of Stephen, a New Testament figure found in the book of Acts whose preaching stirred up so much emotion and hostility he was eventually stoned to death.

He is seen as the Church's first martyr.

Since the Islamic State's takeover of many cities in northern Iraq, Christians have been given an ultimatum: pay a tax, convert to Islam or face execution. Most have fled to the Kurdish region in the east.

Based on the latest estimate, according to Crux, of the world's 2.3 billion Christians, some 200 million are exposed to risk of physical assault, torture, arrest and even execution because of their faith.