2LT International News

LONDON, U.K. Every week, hundreds of millions of people around the world gather in churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples to pray in peace. But in recent years, sacred spaces have too often become targets of deadly violence — shattering their sense of safety and sanctuary.

The latest tragedies came earlier this month, when a man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group attacked a synagogue in Manchester, England, killing two people. Just two days later, a mosque in a nearby coastal town was targeted in a suspected arson attack.

“These incidents have created real fear,” said the Right Rev. Toby Howarth, a Church of England bishop. “People must feel safe going to places of worship.”

Across the world, religious communities are trying to strike a balance between maintaining openness and ensuring security. In Germany, many synagogues are now surrounded by barriers and guarded by heavily armed police. In the United States, most synagogues and many churches have introduced layered security systems involving guards, cameras, locked entry points, and registration for services.

The deadliest attack on Jewish worshippers in U.S. history occurred in 2018, when a gunman killed 11 people at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue. Eric Kroll, deputy director of community security at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, said security training before the attack helped save lives — including a rule allowing people to keep phones on during the Sabbath for emergencies.

“The wounds still run deep,” Kroll said. “But when people learn how to respond, it empowers them to live their lives and keep worshipping together.”

In Michigan, Bishop Bonnie Perry of the Episcopal Diocese wrote to her congregations after a gunman killed four people at a Latter-day Saints church in late September. She urged churches to form emergency response teams but rejected suggestions to lock church doors during services, saying faith communities must remain welcoming even while being cautious.

Some U.S. pastors encourage congregants to bring firearms for protection, but many denominations — including the Latter-day Saints — forbid it, except for law enforcement officers.

Black churches in America have long faced racially motivated violence, including decades of bombings and the 2015 massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where a white supremacist killed nine Bible study participants.

In Washington, D.C., Khaleelah Harris of Metropolitan AME Church said the threat of violence is a constant concern. The church won a lawsuit against the Proud Boys, who vandalized its property in 2020, but security costs have soared — reaching $20,000 a month at one point.

“It’s hard to balance being open and welcoming with being secure,” Harris said. “You don’t want to be judgmental, but you also can’t ignore real threats.”

Globally, attacks on houses of worship continue. In Egypt in 2017, militants killed more than 300 people at a mosque in Sinai. In 2019, a white supremacist murdered 51 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand — an attack that led to sweeping gun reforms and new rules for social media platforms. In 2022, a suicide bomber struck a Shiite mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing more than 60 people.

In Australia, authorities say Iran was behind a 2024 firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne, part of a broader rise in antisemitic incidents. The U.S.-based Secure Community Network, which supports Jewish institutions, has since expanded cooperation with countries including Britain, South Africa, and Australia.

“We act more like Interpol than we’d like to,” said the network’s director, Michael Masters. “These ideologies cross borders. We’re stronger when we work together.”

In the U.S., religious leaders are pressing Congress to expand federal grants that help houses of worship upgrade security systems. In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised more police protection at synagogues following the Manchester attack.

Both Jewish and Muslim communities there are urging leaders to combat hateful rhetoric that can inspire future violence.

Even as security tightens, worshippers around the world continue to gather — holding on to faith, hope, and the belief that sacred spaces can once again feel safe.