Christianity first reached Sudan through the Ethiopian Eunuch, baptized by the Deacon Philip. The faith had an indigenous presence in Sudan under centuries of kingdoms and empires. In 1983, the government of Sudan declared an Islamic Caliphate over the entire country. All citizens were ordered to convert to Islam or face extermination. On May 16, 1983, the churches of South Sudan made a public declaration that “they would not abandon God as God had revealed Himself to them.” The bishops, priests, and lay people who signed this agreement knew that it would almost certainly result in their deaths. Over the decades that followed, Christians suffered torture, death, violence, and severe suffering at the hands of jihadists. As in the early church, the blood of these martyrs has been the seed of the church in South Sudan, where Christianity has increased from 10% of the population in 1990 to 60% in 2012. In 2025, the violence in Sudan continues, where Christians are caught in the crosshairs of a violent conflict between Islamic factions. Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Sudan and consider donating to organizations like @ardfARDF support the suffering Sudanese church.
Almighty God, you gave your servants the martyrs of the Sudan boldness to confess the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ before the rulers of this world, and courage to die for this faith: Grant that we may always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us, and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Art & bio by Ben Lansing