Contact: Craig McDonald, Christian Freedom International, 906-253-2336

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., Nov. 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- The violence that killed over 52 hostages and law enforcement officials at an Iraqi church this week is a sobering reminder of the growing severity of Christian persecution, says Christian Freedom International (CFI), a Michigan-based organization that assists persecuted Christians around the world.

Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad became the site of the country's bloodiest attack in recent history when gunmen invaded last Sunday's mass and took more than 100 churchgoers captive. When Iraqi security forces raided the church in a rescue attempt, dozens of hostages and police were killed or wounded in an exchange of gunfire as the sounds of a vicious battle rang throughout the area for several hours.

The church in Iraq has been under increasing attack for years, particularly since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003. Now, relentless violence and intimidation by Islamic militants have forced Iraq's minority Christian population -- once at 1.5 million -- to dwindle significantly as thousands continue to flee for their lives.

The Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, has claimed responsibility for the recent attack in Baghdad. The organization also made threats against a Christian church in Egypt for its alleged treatment of two women, wives of Coptic priests, which the church was reportedly detaining after the women had converted to Islam. Although a church leader has denied that the women have converted and that they were in fact staying in a monastery for safety's sake, the militant group's threats have nevertheless caused Egyptian security to deploy extra forces to nearby churches throughout the country.

CFI, which has provided humanitarian aid and advocacy for Iraqi Christians in recent years, condemns the horrific attack in Baghdad and believes that it is a prime example of why free Christians everywhere need to speak out on behalf of persecuted believers. Like thousands of other churches and Christian organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad, CFI will participate in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on November 14, a worldwide event that has offered support and heightened awareness of Christian persecution since its inception by the World Evangelical Fellowship in 1996.

CFI works actively in countries known for persecution such as Burma, China, India, Bangladesh, Laos and Indonesia. To learn more about Christian persecution, the International Day of Prayer, or CFI’s ministry, visit www.christianfreedom.org.