On October 27, International Religious Freedom Day will be observed in the United States to mark the anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act, which was signed into law in 1998. The day highlights ongoing concerns about the state of religious liberty worldwide.

Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty, issued a statement urging support for those facing religious persecution.

“Let us stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering, and let us resolve to do our part to promote religious freedom for all people around the world,” said Bishop Zaidan and Bishop Rhoades.

They also emphasized the global consequences of religious repression. “Across the world, millions of people are denied the basic right to religious freedom, a denial that fuels violent conflict and hinders human development. In recent years, for example, thousands of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria have been kidnapped and killed by Islamist extremists, while the government has imprisoned members of both religious groups for blasphemy. In many other countries as well, people of faith are under consistent assault, while their governments engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.”