For nearly two millennia, Greek Orthodox communities in Syria and the broader Near East have lived at the heart of the region where Christianity first took shape. They predate Islam, survived empires and invasions, and helped form the spiritual and cultural map of the Eastern Mediterranean. Their churches, schools, and family networks have endured through centuries of upheaval and have long served as a bridge between East and West.
Today, this ancient world stands under unprecedented strain. Conflict, economic collapse, and the spread of extremist ideologies have weakened communities that once seemed unshakeable. The survival of the Greek Orthodox in the Near East is no longer certain, and with their decline, Europe risks losing a living connection to its own Christian origins. What is at stake is not only the future of a people but the fate of a shared heritage that has shaped the civilization to which Europe belongs.
A demographic crisis unfolding
To understand the full gravity of this moment, one must turn to the numbers themselves. The scale of the demographic shift affecting Christians in the Middle East reveals just how fragile their position has become. At the start of WWI, Christians represented about one-fifth of the region’s population. Today they account for roughly 4%. Researchers estimate that only around thirteen million Christians remain in the Middle East.
Broader regional data from the Pew Research Center place this development in context. Between 2010 and 2020, the population of the Middle East and North Africa grew from 356 million to approximately 440 million. Yet, during this same decade, the Christian share fell from 3.3 to 2.9%. Although the Christian population grew slightly in absolute terms, this increase was overshadowed by the region’s rapid demographic expansion.
These numbers matter because they help explain the pressures unfolding on the ground. Nowhere are these pressures clearer than in Syria, where the effects of war have accelerated long-term demographic decline.
Syria: A community under extreme strain
Syria remains the most striking example of Christian contraction. Before 2011, Greek Orthodox communities formed an essential part of the country’s urban and rural life. The onset of civil war changed these realities almost overnight. Insecurity, the collapse of public services, and a devastated economy pushed many to flee. In territories captured by extremist groups, Christians, like countless other civilians, faced violence and displacement. Meanwhile, in government-held areas, the lack of employment and essential services encouraged many young Syrians to seek opportunities abroad.
As a result, neighborhoods that once sustained dense Greek Orthodox life have thinned dramatically. Cities such as Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs, which preserved Christian presence for centuries, now appear profoundly altered.
Egypt: Political volatility and targeted violence
The Syrian case is not isolated. Egypt provides another revealing example of how political upheaval can unsettle Christian communities. Coptic Christians, roughly 10% of the population, remain deeply embedded in national life. Yet moments of political tension have exposed their vulnerability.
After the military removed the presidency linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, some Brotherhood supporters carried out localized attacks on churches and Christian property. These incidents were limited but showed how quickly minorities can become targets when the political environment becomes polarized.
Elsewhere in the region
Looking beyond these two cases, the wider Near East presents a varied but recognizably similar picture. In Jordan, Greek Orthodox Christians live under comparatively stable conditions, although long-term economic stagnation has prompted many young people to leave. In Israel and the Palestinian territories, periodic insecurity and demographic pressures complicate daily life for Christian families. Despite differences in local circumstances, a common thread runs through each setting: emigration continues steadily, often driven more by economic uncertainty than by direct violence.
This gradual demographic erosion is perhaps the most serious challenge of all, for it quietly weakens communities to the point where they can no longer sustain the institutions that once anchored them.
Why these communities matter
Even as their numbers diminish, Greek Orthodox communities continue to contribute to the social balance of the Near East. Their presence supports local economies, educational institutions, charitable networks, and cultural continuity. In societies emerging from conflict or political upheaval, religious diversity helps rebuild trust and encourages coexistence. Greek Orthodox communities often act as bridges between linguistic, cultural, and religious groups, because of their longstanding civic engagement and local rootedness.
Their disappearance would deprive the region of a stabilizing force and erase a cultural legacy of global significance.
A civilizational responsibility for Greece and Europe
Protecting the Greek Orthodox communities is not only a humanitarian concern but also a reflection of Europe’s identity as a civilization shaped by Christianity and by centuries of exchange with the Christian East.
Yet, for too long, European policy has been hesitant. This caution sits uneasily beside the seriousness of the challenge. A more engaged strategy would align with Europe’s strategic interests as well as with its cultural and moral commitments.
What we should see more of is the restoring of churches, monasteries, and historic buildings, which strengthens local identity and reduces incentives for emigration. Such projects are typically welcomed by host governments, since they enhance cultural prestige and create economic benefits. For Greece, these efforts reinforce its long-standing role as steward of the broader Orthodox tradition.
Educational and economic support, such as scholarships, vocational programs, microfinance tools, and support for church-run institutions, can create real prospects for young people.
Diplomatic engagement is also necessary, as it helps create a more protective environment. Greek Orthodox communities often face administrative challenges, such as land disputes or uneven access to public services. Quiet and consistent diplomatic engagement can help governments enforce existing laws more reliably. This benefits the overall rule of law while reducing the vulnerability of minorities.
Europe, and Greece in particular, still have the capacity to make a meaningful difference. Supporting these communities is not only an act of cultural preservation. It strengthens regional stability, reinforces social cohesion, and helps limit the pressures that fuel displacement and unrest. Carefully designed engagement can ensure that communities that shaped the civilization of the Eastern Mediterranean continue to play a living role in the region.
The opportunity to act remains open, although not indefinitely. What is at stake is more than the survival of a population. It is the preservation of a living heritage that links Europe to its earliest Christian roots. Acting now would affirm that this heritage continues to matter within European strategic thinking and cultural imagination. Choosing not to act would send a very different message about what Europe is prepared to defend.
Europe’s Forgotten Christians: Why the Greek Orthodox of the Near East Must Be Defended
Mourners and members of all the Syrian Christian denominations gather during the funeral of those killed in a suicide attack, at the Church of Holy Cross in Damascus, on June 24, 2025. A shooting and suicide bombing at the Saint Elias Church during a packed service on June 22 killed at least 22 people, authorities said, blaming a member of the Islamic State group for the unprecedented attack.
Bakr ALKASEM / AFP
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For nearly two millennia, Greek Orthodox communities in Syria and the broader Near East have lived at the heart of the region where Christianity first took shape. They predate Islam, survived empires and invasions, and helped form the spiritual and cultural map of the Eastern Mediterranean. Their churches, schools, and family networks have endured through centuries of upheaval and have long served as a bridge between East and West.
Today, this ancient world stands under unprecedented strain. Conflict, economic collapse, and the spread of extremist ideologies have weakened communities that once seemed unshakeable. The survival of the Greek Orthodox in the Near East is no longer certain, and with their decline, Europe risks losing a living connection to its own Christian origins. What is at stake is not only the future of a people but the fate of a shared heritage that has shaped the civilization to which Europe belongs.
A demographic crisis unfolding
To understand the full gravity of this moment, one must turn to the numbers themselves. The scale of the demographic shift affecting Christians in the Middle East reveals just how fragile their position has become. At the start of WWI, Christians represented about one-fifth of the region’s population. Today they account for roughly 4%. Researchers estimate that only around thirteen million Christians remain in the Middle East.
Broader regional data from the Pew Research Center place this development in context. Between 2010 and 2020, the population of the Middle East and North Africa grew from 356 million to approximately 440 million. Yet, during this same decade, the Christian share fell from 3.3 to 2.9%. Although the Christian population grew slightly in absolute terms, this increase was overshadowed by the region’s rapid demographic expansion.
These numbers matter because they help explain the pressures unfolding on the ground. Nowhere are these pressures clearer than in Syria, where the effects of war have accelerated long-term demographic decline.
Syria: A community under extreme strain
Syria remains the most striking example of Christian contraction. Before 2011, Greek Orthodox communities formed an essential part of the country’s urban and rural life. The onset of civil war changed these realities almost overnight. Insecurity, the collapse of public services, and a devastated economy pushed many to flee. In territories captured by extremist groups, Christians, like countless other civilians, faced violence and displacement. Meanwhile, in government-held areas, the lack of employment and essential services encouraged many young Syrians to seek opportunities abroad.
As a result, neighborhoods that once sustained dense Greek Orthodox life have thinned dramatically. Cities such as Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs, which preserved Christian presence for centuries, now appear profoundly altered.
Egypt: Political volatility and targeted violence
The Syrian case is not isolated. Egypt provides another revealing example of how political upheaval can unsettle Christian communities. Coptic Christians, roughly 10% of the population, remain deeply embedded in national life. Yet moments of political tension have exposed their vulnerability.
After the military removed the presidency linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, some Brotherhood supporters carried out localized attacks on churches and Christian property. These incidents were limited but showed how quickly minorities can become targets when the political environment becomes polarized.
Elsewhere in the region
Looking beyond these two cases, the wider Near East presents a varied but recognizably similar picture. In Jordan, Greek Orthodox Christians live under comparatively stable conditions, although long-term economic stagnation has prompted many young people to leave. In Israel and the Palestinian territories, periodic insecurity and demographic pressures complicate daily life for Christian families. Despite differences in local circumstances, a common thread runs through each setting: emigration continues steadily, often driven more by economic uncertainty than by direct violence.
This gradual demographic erosion is perhaps the most serious challenge of all, for it quietly weakens communities to the point where they can no longer sustain the institutions that once anchored them.
Why these communities matter
Even as their numbers diminish, Greek Orthodox communities continue to contribute to the social balance of the Near East. Their presence supports local economies, educational institutions, charitable networks, and cultural continuity. In societies emerging from conflict or political upheaval, religious diversity helps rebuild trust and encourages coexistence. Greek Orthodox communities often act as bridges between linguistic, cultural, and religious groups, because of their longstanding civic engagement and local rootedness.
Their disappearance would deprive the region of a stabilizing force and erase a cultural legacy of global significance.
A civilizational responsibility for Greece and Europe
Protecting the Greek Orthodox communities is not only a humanitarian concern but also a reflection of Europe’s identity as a civilization shaped by Christianity and by centuries of exchange with the Christian East.
Yet, for too long, European policy has been hesitant. This caution sits uneasily beside the seriousness of the challenge. A more engaged strategy would align with Europe’s strategic interests as well as with its cultural and moral commitments.
What we should see more of is the restoring of churches, monasteries, and historic buildings, which strengthens local identity and reduces incentives for emigration. Such projects are typically welcomed by host governments, since they enhance cultural prestige and create economic benefits. For Greece, these efforts reinforce its long-standing role as steward of the broader Orthodox tradition.
Educational and economic support, such as scholarships, vocational programs, microfinance tools, and support for church-run institutions, can create real prospects for young people.
Diplomatic engagement is also necessary, as it helps create a more protective environment. Greek Orthodox communities often face administrative challenges, such as land disputes or uneven access to public services. Quiet and consistent diplomatic engagement can help governments enforce existing laws more reliably. This benefits the overall rule of law while reducing the vulnerability of minorities.
Europe, and Greece in particular, still have the capacity to make a meaningful difference. Supporting these communities is not only an act of cultural preservation. It strengthens regional stability, reinforces social cohesion, and helps limit the pressures that fuel displacement and unrest. Carefully designed engagement can ensure that communities that shaped the civilization of the Eastern Mediterranean continue to play a living role in the region.
The opportunity to act remains open, although not indefinitely. What is at stake is more than the survival of a population. It is the preservation of a living heritage that links Europe to its earliest Christian roots. Acting now would affirm that this heritage continues to matter within European strategic thinking and cultural imagination. Choosing not to act would send a very different message about what Europe is prepared to defend.
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