Open Doors event draws 9,000 to Karlsruhe for prayer, firsthand accounts of persecution

By CDI Staff
Vina, an Indonesian survivor of a 2021 church bombing, addresses roughly 9,000 attendees at the Open Doors Days gathering in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Vina, an Indonesian survivor of a 2021 church bombing, addresses roughly 9,000 attendees at the Open Doors Days gathering in Karlsruhe, Germany. Open Doors Germany

A North Korean pastor who survived hunger, forced labor and flight from his country told thousands of German Christians that the Kim dynasty is nearing its end — one of several firsthand accounts of persecution that shaped a three-day gathering in southwestern Germany this month.

Around 9,000 people attended Open Doors Days in Karlsruhe from May 14–16, according to a press release from Open Doors Germany and reporting by Jesus.de. The event, which drew comparable numbers to the previous year, opened with a Youth Day on Ascension Day, followed by a prayer evening and a main program day on Saturday.

Speakers from Indonesia, Burkina Faso, North Korea, Mexico and Central Asia shared personal accounts of the hardships facing Christians in their countries. A 25-year-old Indonesian woman identified only as Vina said she survived a suicide bombing at her church in 2021 that left her with serious injuries. Jung Jik, a pastor from North Korea, described years of hunger, escape and detention in a labor camp, and said he believes the Korean Peninsula will eventually be reunified.

Participants pray for persecuted Christians during Open Doors Days in Karlsruhe, Germany, May 2025.
Participants pray for persecuted Christians during Open Doors Days in Karlsruhe, Germany, May 2025. Open Doors Germany

A pastor from Mexico, identified only as Juan, offered a glimpse of how the event resonated beyond Germany's borders. He told the gathering that he had phoned the leader of his church association that same Saturday and excitedly relayed the news: "Germany is praying for you!"

Following the main program, participants placed prayer cards for persecuted Christians at a large cross erected in the center of the hall. The event featured music from Outbreakband, and recordings are available on the Open Doors Germany website.

Roughly 900 children attended a parallel program organized around the theme "Hidden Kingdom," which introduced younger participants to the realities facing Christians living under persecution.

Around 9,000 people gathered in Karlsruhe, Germany, for Open Doors Days, May 14–16, 2025, one of the largest annual gatherings in Germany focused on the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide.
Around 9,000 people gathered in Karlsruhe, Germany, for Open Doors Days, May 14–16, 2025, one of the largest annual gatherings in Germany focused on the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide. Open Doors Germany

Open Doors Germany director Markus Rode used the gathering to announce a new initiative called Arise Africa, designed to channel support to persecuted Christians across the African continent.

Open Doors is an international, nondenominational Christian aid organization operating in around 70 countries. The group supports Christians who face discrimination or persecution because of their faith.

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