The Holy See's Secretariat for States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, is accusing the international community of “turning a blind eye” as attacks on Christians have intensified in recent years

Archbishop Gallagher made his remarks during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, the Catholic News Agency reports.

"The data show that Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide, and yet the international community seems to be turning a blind eye to their plight,” he stated, adding: “Christians across the world are subjected to severe persecution, including physical violence, imprisonment, forced displacement, and martyrdom.

In his address, Archbishop Gallagher said more than 360 million Christians are living in places where they experience high levels of persecution of discrimination. Persecuted Christians, he said, are being attacked in churches, "homes, and communities.”

He also criticized what he defines as a “culture of death,” insisting that the right to life, from conception to its natural end, is a “fundamental prerequisite for the exercise of all other rights.”

He condemned abortion and euthanasia, and called on the international community to allocate resources to protect life and support people who in difficult decisions so they can make life-affirming choices.

“The persistence of extreme poverty, particularly in regions afflicted by conflict, climate change, and systemic inequality, demands immediate and collective action,” he stated.