The Archdiocese of Vienna reported that Iranian-born adults made up nearly a third of catechumens preparing for baptism in 2026, part of a continuing wave of conversions from Islam to Catholicism in Austria.
“I thought that a god who treats human beings with such harshness and cruelty could not be the true God, and many of my compatriots have come to the same conclusion,” Anna Maria Jalalifar, who leads the Hananias ministry under the Austrian Pontifical Mission Societies, told the National Catholic Register. “That is how many set out on a search and discover the Christian faith,” she added.
Of the 179 adults admitted to baptism in the Archdiocese of Vienna in 2025, 66 were born in Iran and 71 were born in Austria, according to data from the diocese shared with the Register. Vienna’s municipal statistics recorded 18,516 Iranian-born residents that year, about 0.9% of the city’s population, though the archdiocese’s territory extends beyond the city limits.
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The numbers behind the 2026 class
Last month the archdiocese reported that among nearly 230 catechumens preparing for baptism in 2026, 72 were Iranian and 73 were native Austrian. In 2025, the next-largest foreign-born groups among catechumens, Afghans and Germans, numbered five each.
Researchers have documented widespread secularization inside Iran, including a rise in atheism alongside what is largely a clandestine movement toward Christianity. A June 2026 British government report described the near-systematic arrest and imprisonment of converts who openly practice their faith inside Iran.
One woman’s path from a locked church gate to a ministry
Jalalifar fled Iran with her husband and two young daughters in November 1993 after repeated raids on the family home. She did not ask to be baptized until several months after reaching Austria, frightened by the consequences of apostasy. Asked about suspicions that some Muslims seek baptism solely to improve their chances of obtaining asylum, she acknowledged such cases occur but described them as isolated.
“In collaboration with those responsible for preparing Muslims for baptism within the Catholic Church, I evaluate candidates with great care and rigor,” she said, explaining that the year of individual preparation required before baptism helps identify those motivated by personal interest rather than faith.
Hananias provides pastoral support in Farsi and Dari for Christians from Iran and Afghanistan who still struggle with German. The ministry has organized Persian-language Masses with Archdiocese of Vienna priests since 2019 and has translated theological works and catechetical materials into Persian for parishes across Austria and beyond.
Priests who feel unprepared for the task
Jalalifar said many Austrian priests feel unprepared to accompany converts leaving Islam, even as the Church has trained catechists who speak Farsi, Dari and Arabic. She said seminary formation should include practical tools for this kind of pastoral care, and that parishes must welcome the newly baptized “with open hearts and open doors.”
This article originally appeared on American Faith and is reposted with permission.
