This Easter, Orthodox and Western Christians find themselves united in a rare occurrence: celebrating the resurrection of Christ on the same day. In the Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity and home to the world’s oldest Christian communities, this shared moment of sacred significance arrives amid crisis and uncertainty.
“There’s no clear future for these communities,” Andrea Pacini, priest of the Archdiocese of Turin and professor of theology at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy, told The Media Line. “The state may offer some protection, but war, instability, and fear continue to drive people away.”
According to Pacini, there were three major waves of decline for Middle Eastern Christians: the initial Arab conquest, the 20th-century catastrophes like the Armenian Genocide and population exchanges between Turkey and Greece, and today’s emigration crisis, spurred by economic collapse and cultural and political dynamics.
He noted that, over time, pressures prompted conversion to another faith or emigration, warning: “Today, there are more Christians of Middle Eastern origin living abroad than within the region.”
“If these communities vanish without notice, the region will lose not just churches and historical religious sites but its living memory of Christianity’s origin in the first place.”
Dr. Bernard Sabella, a retired sociology professor from Bethlehem University, also lamented the rapid decline of Christians in the Middle East, noting the community was “among the oldest in the world.”
“You have the Copts in Egypt, about 12 million. The Assyrians in Iraq used to be 1.3 million and are now about 300,000. The Maronites in Lebanon are 30–35% of the population. In total, there are roughly 15 million Christians in the region,” Sabella told The Media Line. “The region needs real peace, not just between governments but between people. Without that, minorities will continue to leave. We need a political vision that includes all: Christians, Yazidis, and Kurds. Otherwise, the whole region is weakened.”
Pacini noted the stark national differences. “Christians in Israel, such as Arab Christians in Nazareth or Haifa, enjoy social and economic stability, even if sometimes they face subtle discrimination. In contrast, Christians in the Palestinian Territories, Iraq, and Syria face far more difficult conditions.”
75% drop in Christian Syrians since 2010
Syria, for one, has seen its Christian population drop by 75% since 2010.
Father Hugo Fabian Alanis, a missionary from Argentina who has spent the last eight years in Aleppo amid poverty, warns that a new wave of fear has emerged following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad.
“It’s not open persecution. But no one knows what’s coming next,” he told The Media Line. “We’ve seen massacres of Alawites. The authorities say they’re looking for those responsible, but people are afraid.”
Father Alanis’ church, part of the Latin Catholic mission, runs schools, dormitories, food programs, and health clinics for locals, especially the elderly and university students. “Salaries are $20 to $30 a month,” he explained. “Families would need $400 just not to be poor.”
They deliver daily meals to 300 elderly residents in Aleppo who cannot leave their homes. “The people don’t even have the basic necessities, no heating in winter, no hot water,” he told The Media Line. “As Christians, we are here. As a church, we are trying to support people, to help them face these hard moments. It’s their country, and we want to show that the church stands with them. We also work with the new authorities.”
Still, he spoke admirably of coexistence. “The relationship between Christians and Muslims here is beautiful. It’s sincere, respectful. Syria, despite everything, still holds that.”
“Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, evangelicals—we all collaborate,” Father Alanis said. “I’ve attended meetings with them and even with the new Syrian president. The people in charge seem very capable, but rebuilding this country will take a very long time.”
Meanwhile, the heartland of the Maronite Church—Lebanon—is watching its community shrink rapidly.
“Christians made up 75% of the population in the mid-20th century. Today, we’re down to around 30%,” Father Antoine Douaihy, a Maronite patriarchal vicar in Jerusalem, told The Media Line, noting that emigration, economic collapse, mixed marriages, and lower birth rates have contributed to the shift.
“Though devout, Maronites are open-minded when it comes to marriage. Many marry outside the sect—be it to other Christians or even Muslims,” he explained. “While early generations of emigrants often returned to Lebanon every year or two, later generations tend to lose ties, especially after their elders pass away.”
Overall, he said, Lebanon is a country where Christians can still freely profess their faith.
“Lebanon still guarantees religious freedom,” Father Douaihy said. “It officially recognizes 18 religious communities and remains a beacon of hope for Christians in the Middle East. The presence and resilience of Lebanese Christians reassure others in the region. The Maronite Patriarchate continues to serve as a moral and spiritual anchor for all Eastern Christians.”
Father Douaihy also sees hope in the daily coexistence within Jerusalem. “Each denomination has its own place of worship, and most clergy behave respectfully. Jerusalem is sacred to all of us.”
While some extremists occasionally harass Christian religious figures, interfaith interactions in the city are largely peaceful.
“People go to work, share the same spaces, live normally.”
However, 30 minutes from Jerusalem in Bethlehem, Sabella notes that “permits to attend Easter in Jerusalem are not guaranteed, not even this year.”
The once-dominant Christian majority has now dwindled to around 22,000 out of a population of 100,000, which Sabella says consists of Greek Orthodox, Latin Catholics, Melkites, Syriacs, Copts, and Armenians.
“One of the problems is the daily siege and blockade of the West Bank,” Sabella noted. “There are over 900 Israeli checkpoints.” Despite this, he says, “Christians in Bethlehem are living well. I see no signs of discrimination.”
While religious minorities elsewhere struggle to fit within the broader national narrative, Palestinian Christians in Gaza see themselves as equal participants in a struggle for justice and survival.
Throughout the current war, Gaza’s Christian population has shrunk from 3,000 to fewer than 600 people, many of whom are currently taking refuge by living inside churches. “They are hungry,” Sabella said. “Their homes are destroyed and their heritage is in danger.”
Meanwhile, according to Pacini, Egypt offers its Christians a more positive trajectory. “In the past 10 years, under [Egyptian] President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Christians, particularly the Copts, have benefited from more conciliatory laws on church building and greater public visibility. The Coptic Church’s strong alliance with the state has been key.”
He explained that Christianity in the region has split into four distinct families: the ancient Orthodox Eastern churches, the Eastern Catholic churches (such as the Maronites), the Latin Catholic Church, and, more recently, Protestant communities, particularly evangelical ones.
“Migrant communities from the Philippines, India, and Africa have formed growing congregations, increasing as a result the number of Christians in the region,” he explained. “In countries like the UAE and Oman, this has led to new legal frameworks for religious practice, especially for Catholics and evangelicals.”
Petra Heldt, director of the Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel, admitted that there are few evangelicals in the region, but they are well-connected globally. “Ten here are supported by a thousand abroad,” she explained. In places like Iran, the movement grows underground. “No one will tell you the numbers. But the faith is spreading quietly, through social media, through prayer.”
She acknowledged that evangelicals are harder to identify than traditional Christians: “They blend into society more easily. That gives them some protection, but it also keeps them invisible.”
While Christians find themselves persecuted or pressured into silence throughout most of the region, Israel allows evangelicals to express their faith openly, according to Heldt. Events like the Feast of Tabernacles and gatherings at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem bring thousands together in open celebration.
Evangelicals often appeal to those searching for personal faith and simplicity. “They’re filling the gaps left by the historical churches,” Heldt explained, adding that while they may lack the ancient roots of Orthodoxy or Catholicism, evangelicals offer a renewed energy that resonates with younger generations.
She also noted strong ecumenical bonds in the region. “When Christians are persecuted, it doesn’t matter what church you belong to. We are united in Christ, and we need to mention the big elephant in the room, which is Islam wanting to push Christianity out of the region, such as what happened with Jews.”
In a region fractured by war, politics, and persecution, this year’s shared Easter celebration among Orthodox and Catholic Christians offers a rare symbol of unity. From the ruined quarters of Aleppo to the alleys of Bethlehem, from the rooftops of Jerusalem to underground homes in Iran, Christians are holding fast to faith.
“The message of Easter is hope,” Father Alanis said. “Yes, we carry our crosses—not just here, but everywhere in the world. We all have crosses to bear, but the resurrection reminds us: this is not the end. We are not alone.”
Father Douaihy concurred: “It is beautiful to see all Christians celebrating Easter together this year. But more important than the calendar is the call to love—loving one another and respecting each other’s churches, whether Orthodox or Catholic.”
