Status: 12/26/2022 11:27 am
First Syria and Iraq – and now also Lebanon: the exodus of oriental Christians continues. In the meantime they have become a small minority in their region of origin.
The number and importance of Christians in the Middle East has been steadily declining for decades. Around 100 years ago, they were a clearly noticeable part of oriental society with around 20 percent of the population. In the meantime, in many places they are only a small fringe group.
“Ten years ago I would have said it was around ten percent,” explains Matthias Vogt from the German Association for the Holy Land in Cologne. “Now we’re well under five percent, if not three percent.”
The exceptions are Lebanon with 25 percent and Egypt with six percent. All other countries, says the Islamic scholar, are likely to be in the low single digits.
In August, these Lebanese Christians celebrated the Assumption of Mary – but their number in the country is getting smaller and smaller.
Image: picture alliance / NurPhoto
Exodus also from Lebanon
It is particularly depressing that after the great exodus from Syria and Iraq in the past decade, Christians are now also leaving Lebanon. “In recent years, Lebanon – the safe haven for Christians – has come to the brink of collapse and no longer offers this level of security,” says Vogt.
He sees this as a “very bad sign” for Christians in the entire region. After all, five years ago their share in the cedar state was still a good third of the population.
Hardly any Christians in Syria
Most Christians have now emigrated from Syria, where their share was around ten percent before the start of the civil war in 2011. This is confirmed by Claudia Rammelt from the University of Bochum.
One no longer speaks of Syrian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Assyrians or Maronites, but only of the Christians in a respective city. Because they have “become such a small minority that denominational boundaries no longer play a role,” explains the Protestant theologian. “Of course, that shows where you stand as a Christian.”
Under the reign of terror of the “Islamic State” the Christians in northern Iraq could not practice their faith. Many churches have been rebuilt today. But the situation in the region as a whole remains delicate.
Image: picture alliance / ZUMAPRESS.com
Fear continues to reign in Iraq
The situation is similar in Iraq. Before Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003, there were around 1.2 million Christians there. Today, not even 300,000 live in Mesopotamia.
In the middle and in the south of Iraq, where there used to be stately congregations, there are hardly any Christians left. The main settlement area is now the Kurdish north.
“Then there are disputes between the Kurdish government and the central Iraqi government over areas,” reports Claudia Rammelt. “And it is precisely from these areas that Christians continue to flee, of course, because they are afraid of what is to come.”
Exodus also from the Holy Land
The situation is not much better in Israel and Palestine, the Holy Land of Christians. More and more local believers see no prospects for themselves there and are emigrating.
According to Matthias Vogt, small migrant communities are now being established in Israel by Christian guest workers from the Philippines and other Asian countries.
But the total number is negligible: the Palestinian territories and Israel still have just under two percent native Christians. In addition, there are two percent of migrant communities in Israel.
Increasing attacks on Christians
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, says that verbal and physical attacks on Christians have increased significantly. Their goal is the expulsion of Christians from Jerusalem and other parts of the Holy Land.
Around 50 hate crimes against Christians are said to have been registered in 2021, including arson and physical attacks on clergy. It is also reported from other regions of the Middle East that Christians are repeatedly exposed to discrimination and abuse.
“The total number will continue to decrease”
In view of these difficult circumstances, Claudia Rammelt turns her attention to how Christians in the Middle East can be adequately helped. In her opinion, there is still enough support at the moment. “But under these conditions, the money is literally gobbled up,” she adds. “And the mismatch between what you need and what you can give is likely to continue to widen.”
According to Matthias Vogt, it is above all the social structure of Christians in the Middle East that will change. The native and original believers would play a diminishing role as small migrant communities prospered. In general, however, the following applies: “The total number will continue to decrease.”