THE ‘ARAB SPRING’ IS FRIGHTENING CHRISTIANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
By Giacomo Galeazzi
Assyrian International News Agency
Sept 21 2011
Vatican City — First, the Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Raï, in Lebanon,
and now, the Chaldean Archbishop in Kirkuk, Louis Sako, in Iraq. The
development of the Arab spring are causing concern to leaders of
Eastern Christian communities, who have by now started to openly
express their fears with regard to an rise in Islamic radicalism
in the New Middle East. “The Arab Spring has created more Muslim
militants,” the Iraqi Archbishop, Sako complained, pointing out the
risk of the thousand year old Middle Eastern culture of pluralism,
crumbling. But the West too has made a mistake: “Instead of trying
to impose the western model of democracy, they need to invest in
youngsters’ education,” Kirkuk’s Chaldean spiritual leader commented.
Archbishop Sako has, already, on several occasions, made lively appeals
to the International community, asking it to protect Christians in
Iraq who “risk extinction”. Indeed, “in Iraq, the number of Christians
continues to drop. They could disappear altogether as a result of
continuous persecution, threats and violence.” Between America’s
invasion of Iraq in 2003 and today, there have been attacks on about
sixty Churches; one bishop and three priests have been kidnapped and
killed; approximately a thousand innocent Christians have been killed
and hundreds of thousands forced to abandon their homes in search of
safety. This is why, “in Iraq and in other Countries, there is a risk
of the Christian community becoming extinct.”
What is worrying the prelate the most is “the lack of a plan”, when
Christians in Iraq and the Middle East have two options: “They can
either emigrate or accept life as second rate citizens amidst numerous
difficulties and fears.” Hence the appeal: “We are in need of stronger
support from everyone, with a clear political vision and clearly set
out plans, not just to protect and encourage Christians to stay in
their country, but also to promote reconciliation among the Iraqis,
and human rights,” as well as to “ensure governments respect the
rules.” According to Monsignor Sako, “the international community
needs to assume responsibility” and “come to a mutual agreement
with local authorities” in order to guarantee equal protection and
equality between all citizens. The international community must also
“help emigrants to return” or, if this is not possible, they should
help them remain settled wherever they have found shelter.
It is therefore the picture as a whole that is raising alarm bells.
The last Vatican Synod on the Middle East, showed that Christians in
the area, total 20 million in a population of 356 million. Catholics
(in their various rites) are estimated at almost six million. Syriacs,
Copts, Chaldeans and Maronites, are all Christian communities
which are talked about often in the Middle Eastern news, and who
often fall victim to violence, discrimination and bombings. These
are denominations that are not often heard of in the western world,
despite the fact that they are the heirs of ancient Christian Empires
that were created in opposition to Byzantium and went as far as to
conquer Central Asia, before being brushed away by the Tamerlane
hordes. History and continuous schisms weakened these communities
which had once been powerful. Their current presence, numbers aside,
represents an important religious and political heritage for the Church
as a whole, and serves as a reminder of the fact that Christianity
was born in the East and is an Oriental religion.
The Syriac Church, which is present primarily in Iraq, was born in
the fifth century in Antioch: its founders were Monophysites, in
other words, contrary to the Byzantine Roman tradition, they denied
the double nature of God as man too in the form of Jesus. Hostile as
they were towards Byzantium, the Syriacs fitted in well with the new
Arabic Islamic structures. In the Eighteenth century, a group of them
decided to reunite with Rome and today are called Syriac Catholics.
The Assyrian Church, which also has its roots in Iraq, was born out
of Mesopotamia’s earliest Christian communities, during the second
century of the Christian era. It developed in relative isolation
compared to Byzantium and welcomed Nestor’s heresy theories, which
spoke of a human Jesus and a divine Jesus, making them their own. The
Assyrian Patriarchate’s headquarters, were established in Bagdad.
The Chaldean Church, on the other hand, was formed out of a schism
in the Assyrian Church, during the Sixteenth century, when a number
of bishops and faithful decided to reunite with Rome. The Chaldean
community is concentrated mainly in Iraq.
The Coptic Church, in turn, was born in Alexandria. The name derives
from the Greek word “aigyptos”, meaning Egyptian. This Church was also
against Byzantium and the doctrine of Christ’s dual nature. The Arabic
invasion of 641 marked the beginning of their decline, but also the
Islamisation of society. The Copts still form a considerable minority.
A small Coptic Catholic Church has also existed since the Eighteenth
century.
Then there is the Armenian Church. The Armenians were the first people
to convert, as a nation, to Christianity during the Fourth century.
Since then, they have kept their own independent identity. During the
Nineteenth century, an Armenian Catholic Church was officially formed
(in a meeting in Rome), with Patriarchal headquarters in Istanbul.
The Maronites were founded in the Fourth century, around the teaching
of Saint Maron. The Maronite Church was founded as a Christian
enclave in the Lebanese mountains during the Crusades in 1182,
declaring its unity with Rome. Added to all these autocephalous
churches are those of Orthodox rites, which remained faithful to
Byzantium, following the schism of 1054 with Rome. The Melkites are
Orthodox faithful who re-entered the Catholic Church and are mostly
concentrated in Palestine. It is difficult to give numbers for each
of these communities.
http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it
http://www.aina.org/news/20110921191717.htm