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MIDDLE EASTERN CHURCH LEADERS HIGHLIGHT CHRISTIANS' PLIGHT
Voice of America
Sept 11 2014
Jerome Socolovsky
September 11, 2014 7:39 PM
WASHINGTON--
Patriarchs of Eastern Rite churches met with President Barack Obama
on Thursday at the close of a summit that drew attention to attacks
against Christians in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.
For the first time, leaders of major Maronite, Coptic, Armenian
and Melkite denominations came together in Washington for what was
billed as the inaugural summit of In Defense of Christians, a Middle
Eastern group.
The leaders of churches, who have quarreled in the past over theology
and religious practice, made a show of brotherhood to highlight the
dire situation of their flocks. In recent months, Christians and other
minorities have fled Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria after
being told to convert or face death.
Last year, scores of Coptic churches in Egypt were destroyed allegedly
by Muslim brotherhood supporters.
Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Raï said the violence against
Christians is painful enough.
"But, what makes [it] more painful still is the fact that such a
human tragedy has been taking place under the very eyes of the world,
which up to now has been simply watching those atrocities from the
sideline," he told a packed auditorium at the Capitol.
"What's happening in the Middle East is a concrete manifestation of
evil," Armenian Orthodox patriarch Aram I said in an interview. "The
violence, persecution, massacre - these are the different dimensions
and manifestations of evil. Therefore this is not only a Christian
problem. This is a human problem."
The U.S. Congress is overwhelmingly Christian, and the lawmakers,
who belong to Western churches - Catholic and Protestant, express
increasing alarm about the violence against non-Muslim minorities in
the Middle East.
Congressional representatives lined up to meet the patriarchs and
address the summit. But New Jersey Representative Chris Smith suggested
they shouldn't get their hopes up.
"I have chaired almost a hundred congressional hearings on religious
freedom," said Smith, senior member of the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs. "It is not from lack of knowledge. It is from lack
of commitment, that Congress and the president have not stood up
consistently, predictably, to speak out on behalf of the persecuted
Christians in the Middle East."
A gala dinner for In Defense of Christians Wednesday evening erupted
in discord. Part of the audience booed Texas Senator Ted Cruz for
suggesting that Middle Eastern Christians should see Israel as an ally,
because "those who hate Jews hate Christians."
But after listening to the speeches from other lawmakers, Syriac
Catholic leader Youssef III Younan was optimistic.
"They all are convinced that the United States has to defend the
rights of those [who are] defenseless," he said.
Thousands of Younan's followers have been forced from their homes
in northern Iraq, and he hopes the U.S. will do more to help Kurdish
and Iraqi forces make it safe for them to return.
The patriarchs also led a rare ecumenical service, repeating liturgies
and prayers in English, Aramaic, Coptic and Arabic, to conform to
their differing rites. At the end they embraced and exchanged the
ritual greeting: "Peace be with you."
http://www.voanews.com/content/middle-eastern-church-leaders-highlight-christians-plight/2446865.html
Voice of America
Sept 11 2014
Jerome Socolovsky
September 11, 2014 7:39 PM
WASHINGTON--
Patriarchs of Eastern Rite churches met with President Barack Obama
on Thursday at the close of a summit that drew attention to attacks
against Christians in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.
For the first time, leaders of major Maronite, Coptic, Armenian
and Melkite denominations came together in Washington for what was
billed as the inaugural summit of In Defense of Christians, a Middle
Eastern group.
The leaders of churches, who have quarreled in the past over theology
and religious practice, made a show of brotherhood to highlight the
dire situation of their flocks. In recent months, Christians and other
minorities have fled Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria after
being told to convert or face death.
Last year, scores of Coptic churches in Egypt were destroyed allegedly
by Muslim brotherhood supporters.
Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Raï said the violence against
Christians is painful enough.
"But, what makes [it] more painful still is the fact that such a
human tragedy has been taking place under the very eyes of the world,
which up to now has been simply watching those atrocities from the
sideline," he told a packed auditorium at the Capitol.
"What's happening in the Middle East is a concrete manifestation of
evil," Armenian Orthodox patriarch Aram I said in an interview. "The
violence, persecution, massacre - these are the different dimensions
and manifestations of evil. Therefore this is not only a Christian
problem. This is a human problem."
The U.S. Congress is overwhelmingly Christian, and the lawmakers,
who belong to Western churches - Catholic and Protestant, express
increasing alarm about the violence against non-Muslim minorities in
the Middle East.
Congressional representatives lined up to meet the patriarchs and
address the summit. But New Jersey Representative Chris Smith suggested
they shouldn't get their hopes up.
"I have chaired almost a hundred congressional hearings on religious
freedom," said Smith, senior member of the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs. "It is not from lack of knowledge. It is from lack
of commitment, that Congress and the president have not stood up
consistently, predictably, to speak out on behalf of the persecuted
Christians in the Middle East."
A gala dinner for In Defense of Christians Wednesday evening erupted
in discord. Part of the audience booed Texas Senator Ted Cruz for
suggesting that Middle Eastern Christians should see Israel as an ally,
because "those who hate Jews hate Christians."
But after listening to the speeches from other lawmakers, Syriac
Catholic leader Youssef III Younan was optimistic.
"They all are convinced that the United States has to defend the
rights of those [who are] defenseless," he said.
Thousands of Younan's followers have been forced from their homes
in northern Iraq, and he hopes the U.S. will do more to help Kurdish
and Iraqi forces make it safe for them to return.
The patriarchs also led a rare ecumenical service, repeating liturgies
and prayers in English, Aramaic, Coptic and Arabic, to conform to
their differing rites. At the end they embraced and exchanged the
ritual greeting: "Peace be with you."
http://www.voanews.com/content/middle-eastern-church-leaders-highlight-christians-plight/2446865.html