8:19PM GMT 18 Dec 2013
I have for some time now been deeply troubled by the growing difficulties faced by Christian communities in various parts of the Middle East. It seems to me that we cannot ignore the fact that they are, increasingly, being deliberately targeted by fundamentalist Islamist militants. Christianity was, literally, born in that part of the world and we must not forget our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters in Christ. Their church communities link us straight back to the early Church, as I was reminded by hearing Aramaic, Our Lord’s own language, spoken and sung in visits to churches earlier this week.
Yet, today, the Middle East and North Africa has the lowest concentration of Christians in the world – just 4 per cent of the population. It is clear that the number has dropped dramatically over the last century, and is falling still further.
This has an effect on all of us, although, of course, primarily on those Christians who can no longer continue to live in the Middle East: we all lose something immensely and irreplaceably precious when such a rich tradition – dating back 2,000 years – begins to disappear. It comprises a rich panoply of church life, including the Antiochian, Greek, Coptic, Syrian and Armenian Orthodox Churches, the Melkite, Maronite, Syrian Catholic, Chaldean and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as the Church of the East, and Churches established, dare I say it, somewhat more recently, including the Anglican Church.
Read more of the Prince's Telegraph article here (with a video):
Read more of the Prince's Telegraph article here (with a video):
Read his full text here.