WASHINGTON — A powerful coalition of American Christian leaders will hold a prayer vigil and news conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol this Friday, November 14, 2025, at 11:00 AM, to offer gratitude for President Donald J. Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and to urge Congress to immediately prioritize legislative measures to defend persecuted Christians.
The group will gather on the southeastern steps of the United States Capitol, which is the House of Representative’s side.
The group will also be displaying a large banner which says; “Protect The Persecuted Church.”
The event, which follows a letter signed by a highly influential, cross-denominational group of advocates, legal experts, and former members of Congress, aims to mobilize public support for a sustained government response to the persecution in Nigeria.
Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, states:
“The murder of 35 Christians every single day and 380 million Christians facing persecution and violence world-wide, is a crime against humanity that demands more than words.
“We are grateful for members in Congress, like Rep. Riley Moore, Rep. Chris Smith, and Senator Ted Cruz, who are fighting for this cause. We urge the Senate and House leadership—including Chairman Risch, Rep. Aderholt, and Senator Cruz—to prioritize legislation that ends the impunity for these atrocities, forces the repeal of draconian blasphemy laws, and ensures that the U.S. government uses every diplomatic and security tool at its disposal to protect our persecuted brothers and sisters.”
Alexei Laushkin, Founder of Kingdom Mission Society, adds:
“We stand firm in deep gratitude for the moral courage of President Trump in maintaining Nigeria’s CPC designation. This decisive action is a necessity and a righteous recognition of the severe threat faced by the Body of Christ. The data is clear: the persecution, the mass killings, and the forced conversion demand that America stand for justice and open up a pathway for the most severely persecuted. We thank the President for his bold leadership on this fundamental human right.”
Key Signatories: The coalition represents the full spectrum of Christian and human rights advocacy, including:
- Nina Shea(Senior Fellow and Director, Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom)
- Dr. Gregory H. Stanton(Chair, Genocide Watch)
- Frank Wolf(Former Member of Congress and former USCIRF Commissioner)
- Mary Ann Glendon(Professor of Law, emerita, Harvard University)
The advocates are calling on Congress to support the implementation of the CPC designation by:
- Ending Impunity:Holding perpetrators accountable and ending the Nigerian government’s systematic failure to prosecute militants.
- Protecting Families:Using diplomatic and economic tools to force the repeal of Sharia blasphemy laws.
- Returning the Displaced: Pressuring the Nigerian government to safely return internally displaced Christians to their homelands.
