Christians in the Middle East Archives

Aleppo’s Melkite archbishop looks to rebuild city from the ashes
- Catholic News Agency, Global Church
- August 11, 2017
Melkite Archbishop Jean-Clement Jeanbart of Aleppo spoke at a convention in early August to let people know that he has every intention of restoring Christianity to his city devastated by the war in Syria. He has been publicizing the motto, “Aleppo is waiting for you,” for Christians who have left and are weighing return.
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Faith-filled ‘transfiguration’ underway in Syria, one child at a time
- Global Church
- August 5, 2017
Aleppo has been one of the cities in Syria hardest hit by the country’s vicious civil war, with children experiencing the horrors of war before they even go to school or swim in a neighborhood pool. An innovative ‘Summer Oratory’ run by the city’s Latin rite parish, however, is said to be achieving a ‘transfiguration’ in those children, sowing the seeds of hope.
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Vatican: Jerusalem needs “internationally guaranteed” special status
- Vatican
- July 26, 2017
A Vatican diplomat has told the UN Security Council the historical status quo of the holy sites in the Holy Land is “a matter of profound sensitivities,” and reminded them that Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Israel sparked a crisis by unilaterally installing metal detectors at the Temple Mount, leading to Muslims accusing the Jewish state of trying to expand control at the site under the guise of security.
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‘Roughly half’ of Iraqi, Syrian Christians have fled since 2011

The Christian population of Syria has been halved, from about 2 million since 2011, according to a new report by Christian advocacy groups Open Doors, Served, and Middle East Concern. The report found that between 50 and 80 percent of Christians have fled the countries of Iraq and Syria and that about 35 percent more wish to leave.

House praised for passing bill to help ISIS genocide victims

The United States House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan bill, the “Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act of 2017.” The proposed law would provide help and hope to suffering members of religious minorities in Iraq and Syria who have been “left out and left behind.”

Pope Francis says Egypt trip promoted ‘healthy secularism’

Pope Francis said on Wednesday that his April 28-29 trip to Egypt was intended as a “sign of peace” and a way of promoting a vision of “healthy secularism” for the entire Middle East region, in which religion and state are separate but religion is encouraged and allowed to flourish. He called on Christians in the Middle East to be “salt and light,” and prayed for new Christian martyrs.