Christians, in this article, are natives of Arab countries, regardless of their ethnic origin, who profess Christianity. Most of them are descendants of peoples who lived in the Middle East before the conquest of this region by the Arabs and have retained their religious affiliation. The exception is the Christian Arabs living in Israel and the Palestinian territories, who are descendants of the population of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, created by the crusaders. Christian Arabs have largely lost their original national identity and consider themselves Arabs.
Most of them have lost their languages and speak various dialects of the Arabic language. Christianity is also practiced by representatives of non-Arab ethnic groups - Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, etc. At present, a significant number of Christians in the countries of the Arab East are represented by foreigners, mainly citizens of European states. (According to the Institute for Israel and the Middle East Studies)
The number of Christians in Arab countries before the events associated with the "Arab spring" was approximately 15 million people. They belong to 28 Christian denominations, which can be conditionally grouped into three groups: Eastern Christian, Uniate (Eastern Catholic) and Western Christian.
Eastern Christian churches are local organizations that maintain their autonomy. These include: the Coptic Church, the Antiochian Orthodox Church, the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, the Syrian Orthodox Church (Syro-Orthodox or Syro-Jacobite), the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, Nestorians, etc. The adherents of the Eastern churches live mainly in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.
Uniate (Eastern Catholic) Churches are religious organizations whose adherents have separated from the Eastern Christian churches at different times and are in alliance with the Roman Catholic Church. These include: the Maronite Church, Greek Catholics, Chaldeans, Syro Catholics, Armenian Catholics, etc. The largest Uniate communities are in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.
Western Christian churches are represented by Christian churches and religious organizations of Western European and North American origin in two directions - Roman Catholic and Protestant. There are large communities of these branches of Christianity in Lebanon and Kuwait.
Egypt, Syria and Lebanon are home to about three quarters of the Arab Christian population. In other Arab states, the number of Christians rarely exceeds 1 percent of their inhabitants. In the predominantly Muslim environment, the Arab followers of Jesus live mainly in compact villages, in cities - neighborhoods. Large communities of Arab Christians are found in the United States, Canada, Australia and Western Europe (mainly in France and Great Britain), as well as in Latin America, primarily in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela. There are also Arab Christian communities in African countries, in particular in Nigeria.
There is a steady trend downsizing the Christian population in the Arab countries, which has significantly increased during the period of political changes currently taking place in the region. Experts note that "all the revolutions in the Arab world led to waves of violence against Christians and their forced emigration", and "the changes that took place in the Middle East brought only repression against the followers of Christ," which after the fall of the dictators lost their rights. Christians, as practice shows, can become a bargaining chip in relations between secular regimes and Islamists. It is noted that, paradoxical as it may seem, “under dictatorships, the rights of Christians were better protected than now”. At the same time, "the continuing exodus of Christians from the Middle East, attacks on churches and monasteries, the killing of priests and the taking of Christian hostages are the best gift to the overt and secret enemies of Islam and one of the reasons for the growing Islamophobia around the world."
The largest Christian Arab group in the Middle East and North Africa is Copts Egypt (up to 9 million people). The situation with the position of the Copts in Egypt is becoming more and more alarming. Copts fear that the coming to power in the country of Islamists, the growing influence of conservative followers of Islam will lead to a further deterioration in their position. The Islamists regularly attack Coptic churches and monasteries, and they kill slfdki. " And there are good reasons for this.
Attacks on churches and parishioners, assassinations, robberies and looting by Islamist militants and their supporters have become commonplace in the civil war in Syria. An estimated 10 to 20 percent of local Christians have been forced out of the country since the outbreak of conflict in 2011. At the same time, a significant proportion of Christians are ready to support the "wind of democratic change" and Syria's transition to a democratic, pluralistic state. Certain Christian elements are also present in the ranks of the irreconcilable opposition. As for the highest authorities of the church, they officially support the regime of President B. Assad. In general, the Syrian adherents of Jesus advocate an early end to the bloodshed and "the beginning of a peaceful process of social reform."
Until 2003, a large Christian community (about 1 million people) lived in Iraq. Moreover, under S. Hussein, the authorities were more loyal to them than to the Shiites. After the Americans overthrew the Saddam regime as a result of the terror unleashed against Christians, the latter began to leave the country in droves, and now there are from 300 to 500 thousand people left. Only in 2003-2008. in Iraq, more than 40 Christian churches were destroyed. It is noteworthy that all this happened before the eyes of the Americans.
About 56 thousand Christians live in the Palestinian territories, including 43 thousand in the West Bank, 1.8 thousand in the Gaza Strip and 11 thousand in East Jerusalem. There is a massive emigration of Christian Arabs from the region. Their number in the Palestinian territories has decreased over 50 years from 22 percent of the total number of Palestinians to 2 percent. Christians are discriminated against, there are cases of their forcible conversion to Islam. At the same time, the rights of the Christian population are formally enshrined in the Palestinian constitution.
There are 160,000-180,000 Christians in Jordan. They are full members of society and are represented in government bodies. King Abdullah II said that Muslims and Christians in the country "constitute one family working for the good of society."
Lebanon is home to up to 1.7 million Christians (about 34 percent of the population, mostly Maronites). The size of the community continues to decline, with many Lebanese Christians emigrating to other countries. Before the civil war 1975-1990 the Christian community occupied a dominant position in the state and society. At present, their influence in the country has decreased, but still remains significant.
There are relatively large Christian communities in Kuwait, UAE and Bahrain. They are mainly represented by foreigners living in these countries. There are a small number of Christians (foreigners) in Qatar and Oman. The Saudi Arabian government allows people of other faiths to enter the country, but they are prohibited from worshiping.
According to the international charitable Christian organization "Open Doors" for 2012, Saudi Arabia ranks third (after the DPRK and Afghanistan) in the list of states where the rights of Christians are most often oppressed. Christians are also severely persecuted in Yemen (6th place). In the countries of the Arab Maghreb, the largest Christian communities live in Tunisia and Libya. The number of Christians in Sudan is constantly decreasing, where the authorities are forcing them to move to the Republic of South Sudan.
Editorial opinion may not reflect the views of the author
Who are the Christians of the East?
Lebanon.The first Christians lived in the caves of the Kaddish valley; centuries later, monks here imposed fetters on their spiritual ailments, seeking God's healing. Today Arab Maronite Christians come here to fan the coals of faith.
Hermit Fr. Johanna Kavan opens doors to visitors for some part of the year. Hours of fellowship complicate his busy daily routine, which includes the translation of ancient Aramaic hymns into modern Arabic.
Despite the fact that Fr. Johanna left his duties as an Old Testament teacher at the University of the Holy Spirit in the Lebanese city of Kaslik, yet he still performs several services a day, offers ten thousand prayers and sleeps only a few hours at night among his books. “People keep bringing me material to work with,” he sighs. "It seems to them that the hermits have nothing special to do!"
Syria.Singing popular songs in a pious manner, Christian scouts parade through the village of Saidnaya on Palm Sunday, climbing up to the ancient church of Our Lady of Saidnaya, which is also revered by Muslims.
Syria.Muslim worship at the tomb of John the Baptist in Damascus. In Syria, the interaction of religions began in the 7th century, when the Muslim Arabs conquered the lands of the Christian Byzantine Empire. Some Church Fathers even accepted early Islam as a form of Christianity.
Easter Sunday is the peak of the spring calendar for young people who like to dress fashionably in the Syrian village of Saidnaya, where the Church of Our Lady is the center of fellowship for Christians.
Jerusalem.Having put on the cross, Arab Christians, residents of Jerusalem, join the crowds of foreigners on Good Friday (in both Catholic and Orthodox calendars), following the path of Jesus through the Old City. Once the majority, Arab Christians now constitute a numerically smaller proportion of the population, and they are often disregarded.
Grieving for the crucified Christ, in anticipation of the miracle of the Resurrection, Catholic parishioners attend a Saturday service in Jerusalem's Old City.
Jerusalem.Inspired Orthodox Arabs stir up the Christian quarter for Easter.
At-Tayyiba- the only fully Orthodox Christian community on the West Bank of the Jordan River, numbering 1,300 people, who are cared for in three parishes. Ruins of El Hadera, a cruciform temple built between the 4th and 7th centuries. and restored by the Crusaders, are still preserved on the outskirts of the settlement. For about a thousand years after the coming of Christ, such Christian settlements prevailed in the rocky hills of Palestine. After his conversion to Christianity in 312, the Emperor Constantine declared this territory the Holy Land.
Syria.In the desert to the north of Damascus is the monastery of Deir Mar Musa, the foundation of which dates back to the 6th century. At the time, hundreds of temples and monasteries dotted the area. Today monks say that they are "witnesses of the world", a kind of guardians of the dialogue between Christians and Muslims.
Lebanon. East Beirut.Milad Assaf is proud to be a member of the Lebanese Forces, a Christian Maronite political party that is backed by heavily armed volunteers.
Maronite guards accompany Lebanese Christian politicians and their supporters during a parade in east Beirut in honor of the fallen heroes of the Lebanese civil war.
“Save and save my father,” prays four-year-old boy Frank Yalda, who is affectionately named Nunu. His father, an Iraqi Christian, was abducted in April 2006. There has been no news of him since. When his uncle was kidnapped, the family fled to Damascus, the Syrian capital, and the UN pays for their living in a modest apartment. Of the 1.4 million Iraqi refugees currently living in Syria, about 200,000 are Christians.
Lebanon.Fight or Flight? For many Iraqi Christians (most of them belong to the Eastern Catholic Churches and are in communion with the Vatican), the only salvation was emigration to Syria or Lebanon. Faraj Hermez from Kirkuk took refuge here for his wife and ten children.
Christian Lama Salfiti, 19, dresses modestly at the Public College of Applied Science and Technology in Gaza. The college is part of the Islamic University of Gaza, where the dress code requires women to wear a veil and an abaya, a long, traditional Arabic dress with sleeves. Of the total number of students - 20,600 people - Christians make up only a small part. In December, Israel bombed this Hamas-affiliated university.
West Bank.The lonely shepherd of the dwindling flock, Fr. Artemy conducts a funeral service for a 95-year-old parishioner in the church of St. Porphyria. This temple of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church has been known since 443. In the Christian community of the Gaza Strip, which was once very prominent, there are about two and a half thousand people, many of whom are of advanced age.
Dome of a temple in Lebanon
Pilgrim from Nigeria in Jerusalem walks on the Way of the Cross of the Savior
Pilgrim from Ethiopia
Baptism in Jordan
In Catholic service
Photos from open sources and reportageNational Geographic
Arab Christians.
It is customary to call the natives of Arab countries, Christian Arabs, who profess Christianity, regardless of their ethnic origin.
These are the descendants of peoples who lived in the Middle East before the conquest of this region by the Arabs and retained their religious affiliation.
An exception to this rule is the Christian Arabs living in Israel (including Judea and Samaria) and in Gaza.
They are descendants of the population of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, created by the Crusaders.
Christian Arabs have largely lost their original national identity (with the exception of Copts) and consider themselves Arabs.
All Christian Arabs have also lost their languages and speak various dialects of the Arabic language. However, the Copts in this case are also to some extent an exception, since their divine services are conducted in the Coptic language.
28 Christian denominations and represent the interests of about 15 million Christians in the Middle East and North Africa.
However, these data are outdated, at present the number of Christian Arabs living in Arab countries is constantly decreasing, and their number in the USA, Canada, Australia and Western Europe (France, Great Britain) is growing rapidly.
In particular, about 4 million people from Arab countries live in the United States, and the overwhelming majority of them are Christian Arabs.
There are also large communities of Arab Christians in Latin America. First of all, this is Argentina, where, according to various estimates, up to 1 million Christian Arabs live.
There are also communities of Arab Christians in Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela and in some African countries (in particular in Nigeria).
The largest community of Arab Christians are those living in Egypt Copts (5-6 million people). Back in the 70s of the XX century. Christian Arabs (we are talking about the Maronites) made up the majority of the population of Lebanon.
At present, their number does not exceed 1 million.
A significant community of Arab Christians lives in Syria, they are in Israel and in Jordan.
In Iraq, according to 1990 data, there were 1 million Christians. In 2005 - just over half a million.
There are two reasons for the rapid decline in the proportion of the Christian population in Arab countries.
The first is the significantly lower birth rate among Europeanized Christian Arabs compared to their Muslim compatriots.
In particular, there has never been any noticeable emigration of Christian Arabs from Israel, but, nevertheless, their share in the country's Arab population is rapidly declining.
At the time of the emergence of the State of Israel, the proportion of Christians and Muslims among the Arab population of this country was one to four.
Currently, Christian Arabs make up about 13% of the Arab population of Israel - about 120 thousand people.
If we turn our attention to Judea, Samaria and Gaza, where the mass emigration of Christian Arabs joins the difference in the birth rate, then the numbers will be even more impressive.
In the Gaza Strip and West Bank
In 1999, prior to the Al-Aqsa Intifada, the US Consulate in East Jerusalem issued 668 immigration visas, in 2000 - almost twice as many - 1,089.
And a number of other coastal states. There is also a small Arab population in Israel. The Arab world has nearly 130 million people, of which 116 million are Arabs.
Many peoples have been Arabized through the perception of the Arabic language and Arabic culture. For almost all of them, Arabization went through Islam, the main religion of the Arab world.
Arabs are divided into three main groups: Bedouin pastoralists who breed sheep, goats or camels, peasant farmers and urban dwellers.
The Arab world also includes a number of non-Arab minorities, such as Berbers and Tuaregs, Kurds in Iraq, Jews, Armenians and some peoples of the geographic region of Sudan. Copts are Christians of Egypt, they also speak Arabic, but consider themselves to be primordially pre-Arabian Egyptians.
Major populations
Most of the Bedouins live in Arabia and in the neighboring desert regions of Jordan, Syria and Iraq, some of the Bedouins live in Egypt and northern Sahara. Their number ranges from 4 to 5 million. Bedouins lead a strictly tribal and nomadic lifestyle. The tribe and each of its parts are headed by a sheikh, who is considered the eldest in wisdom and experience. Bedouins are mainly involved in camel breeding and sheep and goat breeding.
There are both Christians and Shia Muslims among the Bedouins, but the majority are nominally either Wahhabite or Sunni Muslims. Bedouins are not as religious as Muslims in villages and cities, but they regularly perform the five daily prayers prescribed by Islam. Since most Bedouins are illiterate, they cannot read the Qur'an themselves and have to rely on the oral transmission of religious ideas. Together with many residents of villages and cities, they share a belief in the evil eye and evil spirits as the cause of illness and misfortune, as well as in the healing and protective powers of the tombs of various Muslim saints.
About 70% of Arabs live in villages and are peasants. Most Arab peasants have a deeply developed sense of belonging to their village, the inhabitants of which usually help each other in the event of an external threat. They are also united by religious holidays or funerals. But most of the time, the villagers find themselves divided into separate groups.
Arab cities are commercial, industrial, administrative and religious centers. Some of them are a lot like European metropolitan areas with large buildings, wide streets and heavy traffic. The traditional Arab city and those old districts of modern cities that still exist are characterized by narrow streets and cramped buildings, often with shops and workshops on the ground floors.
History
Historical evidence from Mesopotamia began to separate the Arabs from their other Semitic neighbors no earlier than the 1st millennium BC. At that time, the Arabs of southern Arabia had already established prosperous cities and kingdoms such as Saba at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Western Arabia in the era of Christianity was inhabited by townspeople and nomads who spoke Arabic and considered their origins to go back to the biblical patriarchs (usually to Ismail, see also the Hagarians), and in the city of Mecca, idols were worshiped in a temple first built, presumably by Abraham. ...
A hundred years after the death of Muhammad, the territory of the spread of Islam stretched from Spain through North Africa and southwestern Asia to the borders of India. The spread of Islam provided the Arabs with a network of useful contacts for them, and together with the dependent peoples - Christians, Jews, Persians, etc. - they built one of the greatest civilizations.
In the New Testament (Acts 2:11), it is reported that among about 120 gathered in the Zion upper room in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and the miracle of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, called by Christians the day of the Holy Trinity, there were also Arabic speakers. That this is not convincing evidence of the presence of Christians among the Arabs at the dawn of Christianity. Many centuries before the arrival of the Arab-Islamic conquerors from the Arabian Peninsula to the Holy Land, numerous Arab tribes lived on the territory of modern Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. In particular, one of the most famous Arab tribes that established themselves in the Haurana region between Damascus and Amman and founded the Arab vilayet here, subordinate to the Roman Empire, was the Hassan tribe, which converted to Christianity. Other Arab tribes who already lived at the beginning of the new era in the Middle East also adopted the new religion. In the Christian world, the legend about the baptism of the capital of the principality of Osroena-Edessa by the Apostle Thaddeus and the correspondence of the king Osroena Avgar with Jesus Christ is widely known (1). The historian Ibn al-Ibri narrates that the king of Edessa is an Arab by birth and professed the Christian faith. The British Museum has a coin depicting King Avgar VIII with a crown topped with a cross (2).
Arab Christians, who consider themselves along with converted Jews, early Christians, participated in the creation of the Jerusalem and Antioch Churches. From the second half of the IV century in the Middle East and Anatolia began to form, though scattered, unable to unite into a single Church, but Arab dioceses. In the initial period of the spread of Christianity, Arab priests reached the highest hierarchical posts. Thus, Mark was ordained bishop of the Jerusalem Church in 134, Boutros was the bishop of the Arab tribes on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea, and in this capacity he participated in the Third Ecumenical Council in 431, Patriarch Elijah was from Najd, and Patriarch Sophronius, who presented the keys from Jerusalem Omar ibn al-Khattabu, was born in Damascus. Many of the representatives of the Arab priesthood participated in the Ecumenical Councils and were widely represented at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 (3).
As he rightly writes in his detailed study “Living stones. Arab Christians in the Holy Land "Chairman of the Congress of Arab Christians in Israel Fuad Farah, who lives in Nazareth, a few steps from the Church of St. Gabriel, which brought the Good News to Mary:" Arab Christians are not a plant brought to the East from outside, as some unscrupulous authors are trying to assert ... They didn't come here with crusaders or Western imperialism. They are flesh of flesh and blood of the blood of the Arab and Arabized peoples. " (4) History decreed that they did not merge into a single Church, becoming adherents of different Christian denominations. Nevertheless, no one can deny the fact that the multi-vector rich heritage of Arab Christians, founded by the Jacobites, Nestorians, Copts and Orthodox Christians, still spiritually nourishes the Christian Churches in Arab countries and serves as the basis for church organization. The transition in these Churches from the Syrian liturgical language (which until now remained cult only among the Nestorians and Jacobites of Iran, Iraq, Syria and other countries), to the Arabic language from the 8th to the 14th centuries, led to the formation of a powerful Arab Christian cultural layer, organically integrated into the mosaic of common Arab life. Since the 8th century, Arab Christians found themselves under the shadow of Islam, were forced to pay the conquerors jizya, their relations with Muslims evolved in different ways, mainly depending on the nature and will of one or another Arab caliph. Nevertheless, the influence of the Arab Christian cultural layer on the formation of the Arab-Islamic civilization is undeniable. Moreover, it can be rightfully argued that the contribution of world famous Arab Christian scholars to its creation, development and flourishing is the brightest page in the history of Middle Eastern Christianity.
The two thousand year history of our fellow believers in the Holy Land is filled with torment, suffering and innumerable deeds and sacrifices brought to the altar of serving Christ's righteousness. Persecution, persecution and execution of Christians by the Roman pagans. The invasion of the Persians, who destroyed many Christians, destroyed their churches and monasteries, and stole the Holy Cross of the Lord.
Arab Christians, primarily Orthodox, Jacobites and Copts, have repeatedly found themselves victims of the Crusades to the Holy Land. The Crusaders founded the Catholic Patriarchates on the ruins of the Eastern Church, operating in Jerusalem from 1099 to 1187, in Antioch from 1098 to 1268. and in Constantinople from 1204 to 1261. The Latins actively seduced local Christians into their Catholic faith. The crusaders who remained in the Holy Land after being defeated by the Arabs gradually merged with the local population, intermarried with them through joint marriages. Their descendants, who inherited the faith of the Latins, can now be found in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. Christians - Arabs were severely persecuted and killed during the reign of the Mamluks in the Holy Land. Like their fellow believers in Russia, they experienced all the horrors of the Mongol invasion.
From the 16th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. Arab Christians in the Holy Land, which became part of the Ottoman Empire, were considered an alien element in the state and their life was determined by the millet law, which placed them in an unequal position with Muslims. Under Turkish Islamic rule, the position of Christians deteriorated in comparison with the Arab-Islamic era. Nevertheless, despite all the restrictions, the role of Arab Christians in a society with an overwhelming numerical superiority of Muslims remained very noticeable. Here it is appropriate to quote an eloquent confession of the son of the Jordanian king al-Hasan bin Talal: “The importance of Christians in the economic, cultural and political life of the modern Arab world is incomparable with their small number among us. During the XIX century. Christians in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine played a major role in the Arab revival. A whole galaxy of outstanding scholars emerged from their ranks, who returned the Arabic language to its former splendor and, after centuries of decline, revived the Arab cultural heritage and laid the foundations of Arab nationalism ”(5). The Arab Christians made a significant contribution not only to the so-called "Arab revival", which opposed the Turkification of foreign subjects of the Ottoman Empire, but also along with those who became active on the political scene at the beginning of the 20th century. Muslims, clearly declared themselves in the Arab national liberation movement with the aim of liberation from Turkish hegemonists. With the end of Turkish rule in the Holy Land, fraternal ties between Muslims and Christians began to strengthen.
After the First World War, in the course of the national liberation struggle against Western imperialism and the Zionist threat, there has been an increase in the solidarity of Muslims with Arab Christians, who feel and manifest themselves as convinced Arab patriots who completely deny confessional isolation. By the way, many Western politicians, clerics and researchers still reproach Arab Christians for choosing their ethnicity over confessional. Moderate Muslims are convinced that Christians, whose native language is Arabic, are Arabs just like them, and there is no need for them to give up their faith or convert to Islam. Gamal Abdel Nasser fought the Muslim Brotherhood's religious fanaticism and called for the alliance of the Cross and Crescent in the popular struggle against British imperialism and then Zionism.
The contribution of Arab Christians to the fight against imperialism and Zionism in the Holy Land can hardly be overestimated. Their role is especially noticeable in the political and informational fields. A whole galaxy of outstanding personalities, who selflessly served the fatherland, who had emerged from their ranks, significantly outnumbered the percentage of Christians to the population. Among them are the leaders of political parties, trade unions, editors of newspapers and magazines. It is interesting that it was from among the Orthodox that the most convinced propagandists of Marxism emerged. Among the well-known names, Michelle Aflak is a Christian from Damascus, the founder of an all-Arab political party called the Arab Renaissance Party, briefly referred to as Baath (rebirth); Georges Habash - leader of the Popular Patriotic Front for the Liberation of Palestine; Naim Hawatme is the leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Emil Tuma is the creator and editor-in-chief of the newspaper Al-Ittihad, the central organ of the Communist Party of Israel, and many others.
In the first half of the twentieth century. Christians represented the most educated segment of traditional Arab society. The founder of the college in Bir Zeit, later turned into the first university in Palestine, was the Palestinian Christian Hannah Nasser. The first rector of the university in Damascus was Christian Constantine Zureyk. A whole galaxy of Christian writers and poets emerged, gaining pan-Arab fame. Among the Arab intellectuals, graduates of the schools of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS) have seriously replenished.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the bulk of Arab Christians began to leave their villages and settle in cities, where access to education contributed to their gradual transformation into an educated middle class. In Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, they mastered the liberal professions, were in demand in the administrative apparatus, trade and highly professional work. However, as a result of the rising educational level among Muslims and strong competition for jobs, Christians began to yield positions in their traditional spheres of activity. The loss of the habitual position in administrative bodies, trade, and handicrafts contributed to the growth of emigration sentiments among Christians. After the creation of the State of Israel, the balance of the population in Palestine was sharply disrupted due to the massive influx of Jews into the country. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, including Christians, have been expelled or displaced from their homes. Those who remained in Israel, as well as those living in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, suffered from unemployment and a sharply exacerbated housing problem for young families. Many Christians reached out to their relatives and friends who emigrated during the Ottoman Empire to Latin America, the USA, Canada and Australia.
What are the numerical indicators of such a capable, talented, patient, but, alas, being in the minority of the Arab Christian population in the Holy Land and wider - in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq? The statistics of these states and Israel do not always reflect the religious affiliation of their inhabitants because of, if not the explosiveness, then the quite understandable delicacy of this topic. Researchers usually operate with approximate figures that are not confirmed by official statistics.
According to the data cited by Jean-Pierre Valenh - a French scientist - historian, diplomat who spent a long time in the Middle East, representatives of the main Christian confessions of this region entered the XXI century. with approximately the following quantitative indicators indicated in table No. 1 (in thousands):
Table No. 1 (6)
|
Occupied Palestinian Territories |
Jordan |
Diaspora |
||||||
|
Greek Orthodox |
several thousand |
|||||||
|
Greek Catholics |
several thousand |
|||||||
|
Siro-Jacobites |
several hundred |
several hundred |
several hundred |
|||||
|
Syro Catholics |
||||||||
|
Maronites |
several hundred |
several thousand |
||||||
|
Nestorians |
||||||||
|
Haldeo - Catholics |
several hundred |
several hundred |
||||||
|
Coptic Orthodox Church |
several hundred |
several thousand |
||||||
|
Armenian-Gregorians |
several thousand |
|||||||
|
Armenian Catholics |
||||||||
|
Catholics |
||||||||
|
Protestants |
several thousand |
Judging by the table, at the end of the twentieth century. in Syria, there were about 900 thousand Christians and in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Israel about 130 thousand. The same table shows that the bulk of Arab Christians in emigration by this time were Greek Orthodox, Syrian-Jacobites and Greek Catholics. Many of them emigrated at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. According to statistics dated April 30, 2010, 1 million live in Syria, 1.7 million in Lebanon (mainly Maronites), in Egypt, according to government data, 9 million, and according to the Copts themselves, 12-14 million. ; in Iraq 1 million and in Jordan 160 thousand Christians. According to the same data, 178 thousand Christians live in the Holy Land itself, that is, in the territories controlled by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and Israel. Of these, 43,290 in the West Bank, 1,800 in the Gaza Strip and 11,000 in East Jerusalem, and 122,000 in Israel. In the so-called "Christian triangle" live in Bethlehem 11 390, Beit Sahur 10 400 and Beit Jala 9 300 Christians, respectively. Ramallah, the administrative center of the PNA, is home to 7,000 Christians and 5,200,000 in the towns and villages of Bir Zeit, at-Teyiba, Jifna, Abbud, Ain Arik and Al-Zababda. Of the 122,000 Christians in Israel, 21,500 live in Nazareth and 15,960 in Haifa. In percentage terms, the first place among Christians living in the Holy Land is occupied by the Greek Orthodox - 52%. On the second, Catholics - 30.5%, on the third - Greek Catholics - 5.7%. They are followed by Protestants, Syro-Jacobites, Armenian-Gregorians, etc. (7)
With a lack of official statistics and difficulties in counting due to the incessant emigration process, various sources agree that if at the beginning of the twentieth century. Christians of different confessions accounted for 10% of the total population of Palestine, but today there are no more than 2% of them. The percentage of Christians to the population of the State of Israel that emerged on the Palestinian land in 1949 was 2.9%, and in 2003 it was already 1.9%, including foreign Christians, including clerics, mainly of Greek origin. Today, only 11 thousand Christians live in the Holy City - less than 2% of the population. Christians of Bethlehem after World War II accounted for 85% of the population; today their number is 12% (8). Arab researchers estimate the number of Palestinian Christians at just over 400,000 out of more than 7 million Palestinians, or about 5.7%. The number of Arab Christians in the Holy Land (West Bank of Jordan, Jerusalem, Gaza and Israel) does not exceed 42% or less than half of the Palestinian Christians living in all parts of the world. In Santiago alone, Chile, there are over 70,000 Palestinian Christians.
As for the Holy Land in broad terms, according to fairly reliable data, today Christians make up 10% in Syria, 34% in Lebanon (the main contingent are Maronites), in Jordan - 6%, in Iraq - 3%. Even 100 years ago, every fourth inhabitant of the region, which includes modern Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and geographic Palestine, considered himself a Christian. Today, Christians make up no more than 5% of the population here (9). Of course, the reasons for the rapid decline in the proportion of the Christian population in Arab countries and Israel are not only political, economic and related to security issues. The low birth rate in Christian families in comparison with Muslims also plays a certain role. However, this is far from the main catalyst for the de-Christianization of the Middle East.
Of course, we are primarily interested in the position of our fellow believers, children of the Jerusalem and Antioch Orthodox Churches, which represent the majority among Christians in Syria, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Israel, and ranked second in Lebanon. The largest Orthodox community in Syria enjoys broad religious and cultural freedom. In recent decades, Syria has always served as an example of interfaith peace in the Middle East. Some Israeli scholars are wrong or unscrupulous when they argue that Middle Eastern Christians are forced to emigrate due to a hostile Muslim environment. There is no ground for this hostility. Islam and Christianity share common spiritual values. Adepts of both religions believe in God the creator, the afterlife and retribution, are guided by the call to goodness and love and neighbor. If in Islamic doctrine a person "by the command of Allah inherited the earth", then in Christianity he was created "in the image and likeness of God." At the everyday level, Christians and Muslims in Syria and neighboring countries, nourished by the Patriarchate of Antioch, live in complete good-neighborliness, and emphasizing confessional affiliation is considered inappropriate and even indecent here. "Ordinary Muslims in Syria do not have any confrontations with Christians" - testifies the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Great Antioch and the whole East, Archimandrite Alexander (Elisov) (10). The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, Ignatius IV, awarded the Order of Friendship in May 2010 by the President of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev, who noted the good traditions of the existence of the Muslim ummah and the Christian community in Syria, repeatedly noted in his public speeches that the Syrian state does not interfere in affairs Churches. Christmas and Easter are on the list of national holidays, and on other Christian holidays, believers can come to work later to be able to pray, and Christian churches, like mosques, have benefits for electricity and water. Christians in Syria are represented in the legislative and executive branches of government, diplomacy and in all other spheres of state and public activity. Recently, the Minister of Defense in Syria was appointed Lieutenant General Faed Rajha, an Orthodox Christian by faith. Syria in 2003 served as a refuge for Christians who flooded here because of the intolerant situation in Iraq as a result of the American occupation. Syria has always been a haven for those fleeing persecution by Islamic extremist movements. Nor does the Orthodox community in Lebanon experience discrimination on the basis of religion. The Lebanese Metropolis is part of the Church of Antioch. Here is the Orthodox University of Balamand, winner of the 2005 Prize of the Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples. As the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, Ignatius IV, rightly notes, no other Arab country has such rights as the Orthodox in Syria and Lebanon.
The position of Christians in the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Israel, which are part of the canonical jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Orthodox Patriarchate, is radically different. First, here Christians of all denominations suffer from Tel Aviv's expansionist policies. As a result of the creation of the State of Israel, thousands of Christians were expelled from the country. A characteristic fact: the lands on which the residence of the President of Israel is located, the buildings of the Israeli government and the Knesset (parliament) have been taken away from the Jerusalem Orthodox Church. The Christians remaining in Israel, like their Muslim compatriots, are second-class citizens with all the ensuing consequences. All the hardships of the occupation regime, along with Muslims, are being experienced by Christians in the West Bank of the Jordan, in East Jerusalem and in the Gaza Strip. In addition to economic and domestic problems, and often threats to life itself, Christians in the occupied territories are openly discriminated against in worship. The Israeli occupation authorities do not allow Christians from the West Bank of Jordan to enter Jerusalem, and their fellow believers in the Gaza Strip generally live for years under a complete blockade. Orthodox members of the Palestinian parliament can travel to Jerusalem as parliamentarians, but not as Christians. Even communication between Christian cities in the West Bank is hampered by numerous Israeli checkpoints. The Israelis do not allow Jordanian, Lebanese and Egyptian Christians, let alone Syrian, into Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The world is silent about the gigantic so-called "Separation Wall" built by the Israelis with a total length of more than 700 km, which has turned Palestinian cities and villages into a kind of concentration camp. The erection of a section of this shameful racist wall, before the scale of which the Berlin Wall pales, before Bethlehem, according to the angry statement of the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem, Michel Sabah, "turned the city of the Nativity of Christ into a large prison."
The attitude of the PNA towards the Christian part of the population is the most favorable. Yasser Arafat referred to Jesus Christ as a Palestinian prophet and has repeatedly stated that the preservation of the Holy Christian sites is one of his primary concerns. Christian Canaan Ashraoui has long been one of the closest advisers to the Palestinian leader. The PNA encourages Christians to remain as heads of municipalities in ten cities where the Christian population is no longer in the majority. This is Bethlehem, whose mayor, Victor Batars of the Catholic faith, is an associate member of the IOPS; Ramallah, Beit Jala, Beit Sahur and Bir Zeit with Orthodox mayors; Teiiba, Abbud, Zababda and Rafidiya with mayors from other Christian communities. According to the official quota, there are five Orthodox Christians among the deputies of parliament. At least two Christians hold ministerial posts. Christians have made a significant contribution to the struggle of the Palestinians to recognize their legitimate usurped rights. So, for many years the Orthodox Christian Zuhdi Tarazi was the representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the UN. He is known as a brilliant specialist in international affairs, who was for a short time the Ambassador of the State of Palestine in Moscow and also an associated member of the IOPS, Catholic Afif Safiye.
Christians in Jordan are full members of society. Among the representatives of their community there are many scientists, successful businessmen, representatives of the arts. Christians have up to 10 seats in the lower house of parliament. They are also present in the Senate and Government. At a meeting in August 2011 with leaders of Orthodox Churches in the Middle East, King Abdullah II of Jordan said that Muslims and Christians in the country “constitute one family working for the good of society.” (11)
If Palestinian and Jordanian Christians, with the exception of those living in Israel, do not experience any special problems from the secular authorities, then for the parishioners of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church who make up the majority of the Christian population, the relationship between the flock and the church leadership is regrettable and even unacceptable. Founded by Greek priests, the Holy Sepulcher Brotherhood prepares their successors for the highest church posts. For Palestinians, access to the brotherhood was practically closed. The Arabs were almost completely ousted from the ranks of the black clergy. Only the places of ordinary clergymen in minor parishes were allocated to their share. At the end of the XIX century. The Patriarchate of Antioch, with the support of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), was able to finally get rid of Greek hegemony in 1899. The Jerusalem Patriarchate stubbornly opposed the practice of other Christian communities in the Holy Land, which gradually ousted foreigners from the feed of church power and Arabized like the Church of Antioch. Greek hierarchs tenaciously held on to power in the Jerusalem Orthodox Patriarchate, considering it a Greek heritage. A negative opinion about the Greek leadership of the Church was spreading more and more among the Orthodox flock. It got to the point that the Greek church xenocracy began to be seen as a manifestation of colonialism in church packaging. The indifference of the church authorities to the needs of the parishioners, the lack of trust and harmony between the Greek clergy and the Palestinian flock gave rise to feelings of alienation from the Church and its institutions among them, made it easier for Western missionaries - "soul fishers" to transfer Orthodox Christian families to the fold of Catholic, Uniate and Protestant Churches. The Greek clergy opposed with all their might the cooperation between the ecclesiastical authority in their hands and the Arabs-laity. They thwarted the recognition of laws in favor of Orthodox Arabs and even boycotted officially adopted laws, such as the well-known Jordanian law of 1958, which prescribed the need to create a committee of representatives of clergy and laity under the Jerusalem Patriarchate to solve the problems of parishioners. Having lost hope of cooperation, Palestinian Orthodox Christians eventually formed local councils of parishioners, operating independently of church leadership. (12)
Unfortunately, the relationship between the Greek clergy, despite the presence of respectable Arabs and worthy clergy in it, and the Arab parishioners did not change for the better in the 21st century. In 2005, after the defrocking of Patriarch Irenaeus, accused of illegally selling part of church lands in East Jerusalem to Israel, Theophilos III ascended the patriarchal throne. The Patriarch's attitude towards Arab Christians is characterized by his refusal to ordain in the place of the reposed Arab bishop a Jordanian priest recommended by the prince. The only Palestinian bishop, Atallah Hannah, is subject to obstruction and has been repeatedly banned from the ministry. The congregation is strongly opposed by the ongoing sales and leasing of the vakuf church lands to foreigners by the Patriarchate to the detriment of the interests of the dioceses. In the summer of 2011, in the capital of Jordan, Amman, in front of the residence of the Jordanian Archbishop under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Jerusalem Patriarchate, several hundred Orthodox Christian Arabs staged a protest against the recently reached, as they claimed, agreement between the Patriarchate and the State of Israel on the renewal of lease contracts under Israeli state institutions of lands belonging to the Church (13). The Catholic, Armenian, Protestant and Anglican Churches in the Holy Land, to the best of their ability, help their flock in acquiring land on preferential terms for the construction of housing on their reserve vakuf plots. These and other Churches maintain and build new schools. The Greeks don't build anything. Previously, there were seven Orthodox schools in the current Palestinian territories, now there are only two: in Ramallah and Beit Sahur. It should be noted that as part of their proselytizing activities, Catholics build apartments for young Orthodox couples who are converting to their faith and provide them practically free of charge or on very favorable terms. The patriotic feelings of Orthodox Arab Christians are also offended by the fact that the Arabized Churches in the Holy Land and their leadership are participating in the national struggle for the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, while the Greek Orthodox hierarchs remain neutral or even aiding Israeli expansionists. (fourteen)
Since this spring, we have been witnessing structural, systemic changes in the Arab world. The entire geopolitical and religious alignment in the region is changing, state structures are collapsing, and traditional ideas about the development of society are being broken. Some seemingly unshakable regimes have been overthrown, others are teetering on the brink of overthrow.
The chairman of the World Syrian-Jacobite Union, Habib Afram, discusses the fate of Arab Christians in the light of tectonic transformations in the region on the pages of the influential and largest Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar. “From the first days of the revolutions that shook the Arab East,” says the author of the article, “from the first minutes of the collapse of the regimes and the arrival of blissful changes in the region, Arab Christians were faced with a choice. At a crossroads: to join the opposition with its iridescent and illusory dreams, or to remain faithful to the regimes, accepting them as they are - with all the shortcomings and qualities that are far from perfect ”(15). “Arab Christians are in alarm,” states the representative of the ancient Syrian Orthodox Church, and continues, “Anxiety flaps a black wing over the holy biblical lands of Palestine.” Habib Afram claims that today the overwhelming majority of Arab Christians are of the opinion that only a strong government is able to ensure their vital interests, human rights and freedom of worship. He believes that the so-called dictatorial regimes of Saddam Hussein, Hosni Mubarak and Muammar Gaddafi had the right to proudly declare to the whole world that no other faithful experienced any hardships, or even worse - segregation, discrimination, racism. Such manifestations immediately caused the operational intervention of the security services, up to the highest measure. Khabib Afram believes that the dictators were filled with spiritual care for the Orthodox, Armenians, Copts, Chaldeans, Assyrians. Subtle politicians, they understood how dangerous ethnic and confessional strife was, in the flame of which entire empires burned to ashes.
The chairman of the Union of Syro-Jacobites, most of whom are forced to live in Latin America and other parts of the world due to various upheavals in the Middle East, asks the question - will the “creators of a new life” be imbued with the consciousness of the former Arab leaders? And he immediately replies that Christians strongly doubt this against the background of bloody clashes between Muslims and Copts at the very crest of the reformist wave in Egypt, the mass exodus of the Syro-Chaldeans and Nestorians - the first settlers of Mesopotamia and Mesopotamia from Iraq, packing their belongings before the possible exodus of Syrian and Lebanese Christians ... The boisterous slogans about freedom mean for many of them freedom to act with the aim of destroying Christian identity.
Christianity researcher Suleiman Youssef has a slightly different opinion about the development of events in the region. In the article "About the fears of Syrian Christians" in the Lebanese newspaper "Al-Safir", the author, like his pen colleague Habib Afram, admits that all revolutions in the Arab world led to waves of violence over Christians and their forced emigration. The peoples in the region, he writes, are optimistic about the Arab Spring revolutions. However, Christians fear that these revolutions will bring them grief and suffering, their transformation into marginalized and emigrants. He believes that further escalation in Syria, which throughout history has been an example of confessional cohabitation in the region, will inevitably affect the fate of the Christian minority. As the examples of Iraq and Egypt show, during exacerbations, Christians find themselves between a rock and a hard place, and today the Christians of Syria fear not only infringement of their rights and freedoms, but they are afraid that the fate of Iraqi Christians may befall them with the robberies, murders, and arson of churches that have taken place there, leading to mass Christian exodus. They are against the influx of Islamic extremist terrorist organizations and groups such as Al-Qaeda, Fighters of Islam, Fighters of Allah, and Victory of Islam into the country (16). At the same time, Suleiman Yousef argues that those who believe that Christians do not seek to overthrow the regime of Bashar al-Assad as their protector are mistaken. He confidently declares that Christians, who have always been champions of democracy in Syria, are enthusiastically meeting the "wind of democratic change" in the region and that they will, of course, be with the "popular movement" for the overthrow of the dictatorship and the transition of Syria to a secular, democratic, pluralistic state.
However, the highest Christian authorities in the Holy Land take a different position. In August 2011, the Patriarch of the Antichian Orthodox Church Ignatius IV, receiving in Damascus a delegation of public figures of Russia, which included the author of the proposed material, assured us that both Christians and Muslims of Syria feel that they are one people, and the Syrian government and the President of the Republic treat representatives of both religions equally well and therefore enjoy the full support of the Christian Orthodox and other communities. Earlier, in June 2011, the Patriarch, receiving the chairman of the Russian-Syrian Friendship Society A.S. Dzasokhov, assured him that the Christians of Syria, who are the indigenous inhabitants of this country, enjoy complete freedom and always feel completely safe. “I have presided over the patriarchal throne for 33 years, and during this time no one has ever said what I should say and what should not.” (17)
Syro-Catholic Patriarch of Antioch Youssef III Yunan said that "demonstrators in opposition to President Bashar al-Assad do not intend to demand equal rights for all citizens, but seek privileges for the Sunni majority to the detriment of the Alawite minority." He is convinced that behind the artificially inflated anger of the West, which fell on Syria, "which is one of the most secularized states of the Arab world, lies its aggressive intentions towards Iran, whose only ally among the Arabs is now Syria." (17)
In June 2011, the Patriarch of the Greek Catholic Church Gregory III Lyakham warned in an interview with Vatican Radio that “Christians will become the first victims of anarchy in Syria if the system of power in the country collapses due to riots”. The patriarch expressed confidence that if President Bashar al-Assad resigns under pressure from the United States and Western Europe, this will lead to an attack by Islamic radicals on Christians who will become defenseless against extremists, like Christians in Iraq. Gregory III Lyakham called most of the messages in the European media a lie (18)
The de facto leader of the Palestinian Christian community, the disgraced Bishop of Sevastia Atalla Hannah, spoke out most strongly in support of Syria. He declared his "solidarity with Syria in its struggle against the American-Zionist conspiracy directed against all the national-patriotic forces of the region." The bishop confirmed that the threats coming to him from Israel and his friends "will not affect his position in supporting the Syrian Arab Republic, the reforms being carried out in it and opposing the foreign anti-Syrian conspiracy." The People's Committee for Solidarity with the Syrian People and Their Patriotic Leadership, established in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, expressed support for Atalla Khan's courageous position and condemned the campaign of persecution against him. ”(19)
The Supreme Mufti of Syria Ahmad Badr al-Din Hasun, who lost his son, killed by terrorists operating in Syria, speaks in unison with the position of Christian hierarchs, convinced supporters of Christian - Islamic solidarity. He sharply condemns both Muslims in violation of the Koran, using Islam to undermine and overthrow the Syrian political regime, and the West and, above all, the United States, seeking to inflame sectarian strife in the region and divide it into small religious states in the interests of their domination. According to a prominent Syrian religious leader, this policy is also being pursued in the interests of Israel, so that it "can stand firmly on its feet." (twenty)
The legitimate concern of Arab Christians and, at the same time, the common position of various Christian confessions is evidenced by the appeal adopted and disseminated on September 2, 2011 by the Inter-Christian Commission in Jerusalem, which includes the heads of the Christian Churches in the Holy Land, with an appeal to Christians all over the world to pray for Syria, about the safety of all its inhabitants, regardless of religion, about an early end to the conflict and the beginning of a peaceful process of social reforms. The Commission's appeal was supported by the Council of Churches of the Middle East.
The United States, Western Europe, their NATO ally Turkey, as well as Israel, not only are waging an information war of unprecedented scale and sophistication against Syria, arming and sending terrorist groups into its territory, but also cynically reaching out directly to Middle Eastern Christians, intimidating and calling to emigration. Thus, the Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, adopted on September 5, 2011 at the Elysee Palace, was notified that France and its allies would soon carry out military intervention in Syria to facilitate the Muslim Brotherhood's coming to power in that country. According to information published in the press, N. Sarkozy informed the Patriarch of his plan to evict Eastern Christians by Westerners. (21) A press campaign has been launched against those unwilling to leave their ancestral nests in Europe, accusing Eastern Christians of "collusion with the dictatorship." In this regard, of interest is the interview given on October 8, 2011 by the mother of Agnia Mariam de la Croix, abbess of the monastery of St. Jacob (Syria) to the famous French journalist Thierry Meyssan, known for his objective articles and reporting on the most important events in the Arab world. When asked by a journalist, “Is the Christian minority in the Middle East really afraid of democracy, supporting the“ dictatorship of Assad, ”the abbess replies:“ No one realizes that we are plunging into totalitarianism much more rabid and dangerous than these authoritarian regimes that are going to overthrow. Their merit is that they have preserved the social, personal, family, tribal and planned ties of our mysterious East. Our happy life at a distance is completely incomprehensible to the West. " The abbess's reasoning and her analysis of the situation surprisingly coincide with the opinion of Russian observers and orientalists from patriotic circles. “The Union of the Muslim Brotherhood with the West has become a scandal for both Christians and Muslims who do not want religion to dominate the secular principle. The Muslim Brotherhood refused to hold any talks with Assad over the reforms he proposed, preferring violence. The opposition National Council of Syria is not a natural expression of the real aspirations of the Syrian people. This is the fruit of secret cooperation in the interests of forces hostile to Syria, ”says the abbess. To understand the hidden causes of destabilization in the region, the ending of the interview is important:
Thierry Meissant: Western priests living in the Arab world actively supported the "Arab Spring" on the pretext that all peoples have the right to live by Western standards and enjoy the fruits of democracy. As far as Christians are concerned, do they have a common position or are they politically divided?
Agnia-Mariam de la Croix: Those priests who support the "Arab Spring" are "paper" revolutionaries. They do not understand the real sentiments of the vast, silent majority, both Christian and Muslim. As for the patriarch and Christians, they are afraid not of revolution, but of Western intervention, which makes one think that we are talking about a conspiracy and a controlled, and by no means spontaneous, movement. (22)
Agnia's mother Mariam de la Croix, who occupies a modest post in the church hierarchy, lives in the midst of the Syrian people, adequately expresses the opinion of the majority of ordinary Syrian and Middle Eastern Christians. Of course, it should be recognized that some Christian elements are also present in the ranks of the irreconcilable Syrian opposition, mainly based in the West. However, the vast majority of representatives of Christian communities in the Middle East follow their pastors, resolutely oppose external information, cultural, economic and especially military interference in the internal affairs of Syria, for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in the country and the gradual implementation of reforms. If some of them joined the ranks of the opposition, then the opposition is healthy, constructive, ready not only for dialogue with the authorities, but also for jointly reforming the country and building a new, more just society.
The aspirations and position of Christians in Syria are reflected in the Appeal of the Forum "Citizenship and Affiliation", which took place from 17 to 18 September 2011 in Syria, at the private university "Al-Hawash". The forum was attended by clergy and laity of the Christian faith. Numerous guests were also present and took part in the discussions - representatives of other confessions, mainly Muslims. Christian clergy and laity discussed topics related to the present and future of the country, citizenship and confessional affiliation, contacts with Syrian Christian immigrants in foreign countries. At the final meeting, the forum participants adopted a number of postulates, starting with the confirmation by the Syrian Christians of their belonging to their homeland of Syria, which they put "in the first place before their religious affiliation." “Syrian Christians,” the forum participants said, “are an important component of the national fabric of their country, on whose land they have lived for millennia. They are rooted in this land and do not accept emigration from the country under any circumstances. " Clause 6 of the Appeal “rejects the use of the term“ minority ”, be it religious, sectarian, ethnic, or racial. All citizens of the country are equal before the law. " Particular emphasis in the Address is made on "the rejection of any foreign or Arab interference in Syrian affairs by Syrian Christians." “Syria,” declare Christian clergy and laity, “belongs to her sons, who can and know how to preserve it. Any calls for the defense of Syria by external forces are condemned and rejected. " The Appeal calls for the establishment of effective contacts with the large Christian Syrian diaspora abroad in order to involve them in the political, social and economic life of their homeland and to include them in the fight against anti-Syrian conspiracies. The document underlines the conviction of Syrian Christians that "only a secular state and freedom of conscience can solve the pressing problems of both Christians and Muslims in Syria." The Forum decided to create a permanent committee to disseminate and clarify the text of the Appeal inside and outside the country in order to consolidate the Syrian society to resolve the internal crisis (23). The very fact of convening the Forum and its agenda testify to the uncertainty of the Syrian Christians in the future, in their future, and are their defensive reaction.
The statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of May 30, 2011 is permeated with anxiety for the fate of co-religionists. It condemns “Christianophobia in the world, which manifests itself primarily when religious differences are used in political struggle, mainly by extremist forces pursuing goals that are incompatible with the good of everything. society. ”(24) It is these phenomena that we observe in the Middle East, whether we are talking about Islamic or Jewish fundamentalism. Christian fundamentalists from radical Protestant communities in various parts of the world also share similar positions with Islamic and Jewish fundamentalists. In this way, they support the Jewish claims to all of Palestine, backing them up with theological arguments. They are known as "Christian Zionists". The document of the Holy Synod concludes that "manifestations of Christianophobia are acquiring the character of a stable trend in some regions of the world" and directly points to "Iraq and some other countries of the Middle East region", the Christian population of which is forced to leave the land on which it lived en masse centuries, or preparing to emigrate.
On the final day of his visit to Chisinau on October 12, 2011, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill II, in an interview with Moldovan, Romanian and Russian TV channels, called Europe “godless, secular and does not really associate itself with Christianity” and warned European countries “against excessive involvement in problems of the Arab world ”. Describing popular protests against the authorities in Arab countries, the Patriarch refrained from a "final analysis of events", citing a lack of information, but at the same time, he unequivocally pointed out the fact of foreign interference in the internal affairs of the Arab world, in particular, stating: “Neither you nor me It is not clear to the world community what percentage of all that is happening there today belongs to the people's initiative itself, and what percentage is the result - we will choose the softest wording - of facilitating this process from abroad. To what extent this is a spontaneous and natural will of the people, who did not agree with their rulers, and to what extent this situation was organized ”(25)
A few days later, on October 17, 2011, the honorary chairman of the French National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen, a supporter of France's withdrawal from NATO, sharply condemning the crimes of this aggressive bloc in Libya, as if following the Patriarch's reasoning, declared that “the West, which not so Christian, participated in the overthrow of Mubarak, Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein - Arab anti-Islamist leaders who defended Christians. " The oldest French nationalist leader accuses the West of intending to overthrow Bashar al-Assad, "who has already begun implementing the reforms demanded of him and is the main protector of Christians in the Middle East." Jean-Marie Le Pen believes that "the Syrian government is legitimate in its fight against armed gangs trying to seize power in the country." (26)
Russian Muslims, who have lived side by side with Christians for centuries, also express concern about the situation of Middle Eastern Christians. In his message to the rector of the largest Islamic university Al-Azhar in Cairo, Ahmad at-Tayyib, the head of the ulama of the All-Russian Muftiate, Farid Salman, writes: “Muslims of Russia are anxiously looking at the exodus of Christians from Iraq, the Palestinian lands and other countries of the Middle East. The continuing exodus of Christians from the Middle East, attacks on churches and monasteries, the killing of priests and the seizure of Christian hostages are the best gift to the overt and secret enemies of Islam and one of the reasons for the growing Islamophobia all over the world ”(27)
On June 24, 2011, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, at a press conference on the topic "Persecution of Christians - an accident or a pattern?" that "Christians are the most persecuted religious group on the planet today, according to research and information from various sources." In the opinion of the DECR chairman, “in fact, the very existence of Christianity in those regions where Christian Churches have performed their ministry for centuries and peacefully coexisted with Muslims and representatives of other religions has been threatened” (28). At a press conference in September 2011, Metropolitan Hilarion, commenting on the escalation of events in the Arab world, and in particular in Libya and Syria, again speaks of the threat to the very existence of Christianity in this region, directly linking it with "very great pressure from Western powers" on political regimes in these countries. The DECR chairman, foreseeing the coming to power of Islamic extremists in these countries, which has already happened in Libya, asks the legitimate question of how these Western powers "are going and are going to ensure the safety of the Christians of Syria at all", representing the majority of the Christian population of the Middle East. (29)
Thus, the Christians of the Middle East, who have preserved the unquenchable fire of the Christian faith since the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, enter the third millennium in complete confusion in the face of perhaps the most severe trials in their history that threaten their very existence in the Holy Land. Author of the book Life and Death of Eastern Christians. From the beginnings to the present day "writes:" When Christians disappear in the Middle East, its shrines will turn into the scenery of a "spiritual Disneyland", the contours of which are already showing through in Christian Jerusalem. " (30) The policy of Judaization of Jerusalem has already stripped it of many historical features, defiled the purity and holiness of the "City of Peace". Christian and Muslim Jerusalem is on the brink of destruction. Jerusalem is in danger of destruction and disappearance. The Israeli occupation is driving both Christian and Muslim populations out of Jerusalem. Palestinians continue to be exiles scattered all over the world, or live under occupation, deprived of the most basic human rights. Palestinian Christian Afif Safiye, former ambassador of the State of Palestine in Moscow, says: “... anti-Semitism today is Israel's persecution of the Palestinian people” (31). The mission of the Holy Land without an Arab Christian presence loses its meaning. What does the Church without believers and believers without the Mother Church mean? What does the Christian heritage of Palestine, Greater Syria mean without Palestinian, Syrian, Lebanese Christians? Another researcher of the history of Arab Christians in the Holy Land, who called his book "Living Stones", appeals to his readers, or rather to all humanity, bowing before the holy stones of Palestine, and begs him not to show indifference to the fate of the "living stones" - the confessors of the Christian faith on Holy Land. Many politicians and scholars in the West believe it is normal for Christians in the East to end up choosing the life-threatening Middle East to enrich the Western world with their vast talents. Russia has a different view of the future of the Holy Land. She returns here spiritually, culturally and financially to help her brothers in faith. She considers it her sacred duty to preserve the Christian heritage of Palestine.
Metropolitan Macarius (Parvitsky-Nevsky) during his tenure as Bishop of Tomsk and Semipalatinsk in his "Conversation about the Holy Land and the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society" in 1895 said that this charitable organization had managed to do a lot for 13 years not only for Russian pilgrims, worshipers Holy places, but also took care of the position of the Orthodox Arabs or, as he calls them, "native Orthodox Christians of the Holy Land." The ROC hierarch noted the neglect of the Greek church leadership of his flock: “The Greek clergy, not understanding the language of native Christians - Arabs and Syrians, could not teach and confirm them in the faith, and sometimes left their flock altogether, living far from it. And the Orthodox inhabitants of the Holy Land began to be seduced either into the Mohammedan faith, or to go over to a Roman church, or to accept the wrong religion of the Germans and other non-Orthodox peoples. It was hard for the Orthodox. There was no protection for them from anywhere. " The bishop concluded his Word with the appeal: “... we will not be silent for the sake of Zion, and we will not rest for the sake of Jerusalem, until piety reigns there again and until for Orthodox Christians of all tribes, just as for the Russian people, the Holy Land becomes, as it were, our own a native land, to which some could walk without sorrow, while others live there, as in the days of David and in the days of pious Orthodox tsars, in all piety, peace and contentment ”(32) The call of the metropolitan, sounded 116 years ago, today as relevant as then. This is the mandate of our ancestors to all Orthodox Russian people, and first of all to us - members of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.
Note
1. Joseph Zaya. "The history of the Assyrians from ancient times to the fall of Byzantium." M., LLC IPC "Mask", 2009, p.74
2. Fuad Farah “Al-hajarat - ul - heyya. Al - masihiyun - ul - arab fi - d-diyar al - muqaddasa "(" Living stones. Arab Christians in the Holy Land ") An Nasir (Nazareth). 2005., p. 17
3. The specified composition, p.17
4. The specified composition, p.21
5. The specified composition, p.102
6. Jean-Pierre Valognes “Vie et mort des chretiens d'Orient. Des origines a nos jours. " Fayard 1994, p.838
7. Statistical data were prepared and submitted to Bethlehem scholars of Christian problems Samir Qumsia. The editorial board of the Orthodox Palestine Collection thanks a colleague for the materials provided.
8. VN Bilan "Christianity in the Middle East: the ghost of new catacombs?" Internet magazine "New Eastern Review". 09.11.2010
10. Daily Internet media "Orthodoxy and Peace", 04/27/2011
11. News ru. com // Religion and Society // 25.08.2011
12. Fuad Farah. “Al-hajarat -ul-heya. Al-masihiyyun-ul-arab fi-d-diyar al muqaddasa "(" Living stones. Arab Christians in the Holy Land ") An - Nasir (Nazareth). 2005., p. 255
18. Novosibirsk. "Siberian Catholic newspaper", 12.10.2011
19. Site of NIRA "Aksakal" 06/20/2011
20.wffw. info. 27.06.2011
21.http: / www / fond sk. ru / news 08.10.2011
23. Materials received from the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia under the Patriarch of Antioch and the whole East, Archimandrite Alexander (Elisov). The editors would like to thank his Reverend.
25. Official site of the Moscow Patriarchate "Russian Orthodox Church", 10.10.2011.
27. Umma News.com 14.06.2011
28. The site "Faith and Time" 06/25/2011
29. Official site of the Moscow Patriarchate "Russian Orthodox Church". 09.09.2011
30. Jean-Pierre Valognes "Vie et mort des chretiens d Orient Des origines a nos jours Fayard." 1994, p. 9
31. Afif Safiye "On Palestinian Diplomacy". M. "Circle". 2009. p.123
32. Quoted. Quoted from: Words, conversations, teachings and speeches of His Grace Macarius, Bishop of Tomsk and Semipalatinsk. Issue 1-3 Tomsk, 1898-1916, pp. 30-32
Oleg Fomin
Who are the Christians of the East?
Lebanon. The first Christians lived in the caves of the Kaddish valley; centuries later, monks here imposed fetters on their spiritual ailments, seeking God's healing. Today Arab Maronite Christians come here to fan the coals of faith.
Hermit Fr. Johanna Kavan opens doors to visitors for some part of the year. Hours of fellowship complicate his busy daily routine, which includes the translation of ancient Aramaic hymns into modern Arabic.
Despite the fact that Fr. Johanna left his duties as an Old Testament teacher at the University of the Holy Spirit in the Lebanese city of Kaslik, yet he still performs several services a day, offers ten thousand prayers and sleeps only a few hours at night among his books. “People keep bringing me material to work with,” he sighs. "It seems to them that the hermits have nothing special to do!"
Syria. Singing popular songs in a pious manner, Christian scouts parade through the village of Saidnaya on Palm Sunday, climbing up to the ancient church of Our Lady of Saidnaya, which is also revered by Muslims.
Syria. Muslim worship at the tomb of John the Baptist in Damascus. In Syria, the interaction of religions began in the 7th century, when the Muslim Arabs conquered the lands of the Christian Byzantine Empire. Some Church Fathers even accepted early Islam as a form of Christianity.
Easter Sunday is the peak of the spring calendar for young people who like to dress fashionably in the Syrian village of Saidnaya, where the Church of Our Lady is the center of fellowship for Christians.
Jerusalem. Having put on the cross, Arab Christians, residents of Jerusalem, join the crowds of foreigners on Good Friday (in both Catholic and Orthodox calendars), following the path of Jesus through the Old City. Once the majority, Arab Christians now constitute a numerically smaller proportion of the population, and they are often disregarded.
Grieving for the crucified Christ, in anticipation of the miracle of the Resurrection, Catholic parishioners attend a Saturday service in Jerusalem's Old City. 
Jerusalem. Inspired Orthodox Arabs stir up the Christian quarter for Easter.
At-Tayyiba- the only fully Orthodox Christian community on the West Bank of the Jordan River, numbering 1,300 people, who are cared for in three parishes. Ruins of El Hadera, a cruciform temple built between the 4th and 7th centuries. and restored by the Crusaders, are still preserved on the outskirts of the settlement. For about a thousand years after the coming of Christ, such Christian settlements prevailed in the rocky hills of Palestine. After his conversion to Christianity in 312, the Emperor Constantine declared this territory the Holy Land. 
Syria. In the desert to the north of Damascus is the monastery of Deir Mar Musa, the foundation of which dates back to the 6th century. At the time, hundreds of temples and monasteries dotted the area. Today monks say that they are "witnesses of the world", a kind of guardians of the dialogue between Christians and Muslims.
Lebanon. East Beirut. Milad Assaf is proud to be a member of the Lebanese Forces, a Christian Maronite political party that is backed by heavily armed volunteers.
Maronite guards accompany Lebanese Christian politicians and their supporters during a parade in east Beirut in honor of the fallen heroes of the Lebanese civil war.
“Save and save my father,” prays four-year-old boy Frank Yalda, who is affectionately named Nunu. His father, an Iraqi Christian, was abducted in April 2006. There has been no news of him since. When his uncle was kidnapped, the family fled to Damascus, the Syrian capital, and the UN pays for their living in a modest apartment. Of the 1.4 million Iraqi refugees currently living in Syria, about 200,000 are Christians.
Lebanon. Fight or Flight? For many Iraqi Christians (most of them belong to the Eastern Catholic Churches and are in communion with the Vatican), the only salvation was emigration to Syria or Lebanon. Faraj Hermez from Kirkuk took refuge here for his wife and ten children.
Christian Lama Salfiti, 19, dresses modestly at the Public College of Applied Science and Technology in Gaza. The college is part of the Islamic University of Gaza, where the dress code requires women to wear a veil and an abaya, a long, traditional Arabic dress with sleeves. Of the total number of students - 20,600 people - Christians make up only a small part. In December, Israel bombed this Hamas-affiliated university.
West Bank. The lonely shepherd of the dwindling flock, Fr. Artemy conducts a funeral service for a 95-year-old parishioner in the church of St. Porphyria. This temple of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church has been known since 443. In the Christian community of the Gaza Strip, which was once very prominent, there are about two and a half thousand people, many of whom are of advanced age.
Dome of a temple in Lebanon
Pilgrim from Nigeria in Jerusalem walks on the Way of the Cross of the Savior
Pilgrim from Ethiopia
Baptism in Jordan
In Catholic service
Read like this
Arab Christian
It is customary to call the natives of Arab countries, Christian Arabs, who profess Christianity, regardless of their ethnic origin.
These are the descendants of peoples who lived in the Middle East before the conquest of this region by the Arabs and retained their religious affiliation.
The exceptions to this rule are Christian Arabs living in Israel (including Judea and Samaria) and Gaza.
They are descendants of the population of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, created by the Crusaders.
Christian Arabs have largely lost their original national identity (with the exception of Copts) and consider themselves Arabs.
All Christian Arabs have also lost their languages and speak various dialects of the Arabic language. However, the Copts in this case are also to some extent an exception, since their divine services are conducted in the Coptic language.
28 Christian denominations and represent the interests of about 15 million Christians in the Middle East and North Africa.
However, these data are outdated, at present the number of Christian Arabs living in Arab countries is constantly decreasing, and their number in the USA, Canada, Australia and Western Europe (France, Great Britain) is growing rapidly.
In particular, about 4 million people from Arab countries live in the United States, and the overwhelming majority of them are Christian Arabs.
There are also large communities of Arab Christians in Latin America. First of all, this is Argentina, where, according to various estimates, up to 1 million Christian Arabs live.
There are also communities of Arab Christians in Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela and in some African countries (in particular in Nigeria).
The largest community of Arab Christians is the Copts living in Egypt (5-6 million people). Back in the 70s of the XX century. Christian Arabs (we are talking about the Maronites) made up the majority of the population of Lebanon.
At present, their number does not exceed 1 million.
A significant community of Arab Christians lives in Syria, they also exist in Israel and in Jordan.
In Iraq, according to 1990 data, there were 1 million Christians. In 2005 - just over half a million.
There are two reasons for the rapid decline in the proportion of the Christian population in Arab countries.
The first is the significantly lower birth rate among Europeanized Christian Arabs compared to their Muslim compatriots.
In particular, there has never been any noticeable emigration of Christian Arabs from Israel, but, nevertheless, their share in the country's Arab population is rapidly declining.
At the time of the emergence of the State of Israel, the proportion of Christians and Muslims among the Arab population of this country was one to four.
Currently, Christian Arabs make up about 13% of the Arab population of Israel - about 120 thousand people.
If we turn our attention to Judea, Samaria and Gaza, where the mass emigration of Christian Arabs joins the difference in the birth rate, then the numbers will be even more impressive.
In the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the number of Christians has decreased in 50 years from 22% of the total Palestinian population to 2% and continues to decline.
If before the peace agreements of 1993, which transferred Bethlehem under the authority of the Palestinian Authority, Christian Arabs constituted the majority in Bethlehem, today they are less than a third of the inhabitants.
In 1999, before the Al-Aqsa Intifada, the US Consulate in East Jerusalem issued 668 immigrant visas, in 2000 - almost twice as many - 1,089.
