Oppressed Christians in Algeria go underground
Published August 4, 2026
The church remains small, fragile but faithful.(Morning Star News) – Following Algeria’s closure of nearly all evangelical churches in waves of repression that began in 2017, Christians have been forced underground in what they describe as an internal exile, sources said.
Christians in the 99-percent Muslim country gather discreetly in homes, garages or under olive trees, isolating many who are deprived of regular spiritual guidance. Some turn to the internet and social media, where heresies proliferate, thus fostering internal divisions, the spread of false teaching and the rise of conflicts.
Despite such challenges, some Christians express gratitude to God, viewing this period as a spiritual cleansing to build stronger and more mature churches.
“Believers maintain fraternal bonds within small family groups,” said one Christian community leader. “We celebrate Holy Communion and baptisms privately, and dedicate significant resources to charitable aid, in accordance with biblical commandments.”
One church leader continues to serve by visiting families in various villages to offer moral and spiritual support. Like all pastors mentioned in this story, his name cannot be published for security reasons.
“The situation is undeniably difficult because we are deprived of fellowship,” he said. “But God’s work must not stop. We desperately lack Bibles and Christian books, as customs officials systematically confiscate them even when friends bring them from the West.”
