Middle East Christian communities grapple with anguish and uncertainty

Christians in the Middle East share their experience of living through difficult days as bombardments against Iran continue, along with retaliatory strikes from Tehran.

A missile intercepted in Israeli airspace on March 2 (ANSA)

As the war between Iran, Israel, and the United States continues, the shockwaves are spreading throughout the region. While US President Donald Trump promised four weeks of offensive action, Iran has responded with hundreds of retaliatory strikes.

This newly opened front has heightened fears of an uncontrollable escalation. On Sunday, March 1, at the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV urged leaders to stop “the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss.” This concern is shared by many Christians in the Middle East, even though their living conditions differ.

“As these past hours have profoundly shaken the Middle East—in Iran, the Holy Land, Lebanon, Iraq, and throughout the region—L’Œuvre d’Orient expresses its deep concern over a new escalation of violence,” the association said in a statement on Monday.

“This morning, the Lebanese woke up in a climate of shock and dismay, but also fatigue and anger,” said Vincent Gelot, L’Œuvre d’Orient’s coordinator for Lebanon and Syria.

“People here know what a war with Israel is, and they feel like they are reliving what happened a year and a half ago, after the pager attacks and the death of Nasrallah,” he continued, referring to the October 17, 2024 attack carried out by Israel against Hezbollah members’ pagers and walkie-talkies.

“The war that followed displaced 1.2 million people in Lebanon and caused major destruction,” Mr. Gelot recalled.

Shock in Lebanon

On Monday morning, schools remained closed in Beirut after Israeli strikes targeted the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital. Thousands of people have also fled villages in southern Lebanon following evacuation calls issued by the Israeli army.

Tension is palpable everywhere. “One of our partners, a school run by the Daughters of Charity, already damaged last year, is living in fear,” Mr. Gelot highlighted.

Beyond Lebanon’s borders, fear has also intensified. “No one knows what will happen; there is great concern,” said Pascale Casati-Ollier, director of L’Œuvre d’Orient’s Iraq office in Erbil, along with her husband Jean.

“Our contacts are cautious and are staying at home, as the bombardments continue. It is total uncertainty,' he said.

The capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, which hosts American troops, has in recent days been targeted by several Iranian missiles.

Although the situation remains highly volatile, it is still too early to draw conclusions about the future of Christians in the region. The strikes are not targeting civilians but rather strategic military objectives.

“This new war will undoubtedly not facilitate the reintegration of Christians in the region,” Mr. Casati-Ollier explained. “It is not impossible that this will encourage them to emigrate. For now, time stands still.”

Gulf Christians in lockdown

In the Gulf countries, which have been targeted by Iran’s retaliation, many Christian communities are now on lockdown. The small Catholic community in Bahrain is organizing as best it can to provide spiritual assistance to its 80,000 faithful.

For security reasons, they are currently forbidden from gathering for Mass or any other parish activity. Liturgies and catechism classes in various languages are being held online until further notice, according to a Facebook post by Sacred Heart Church in Manama, one of two parishes in Bahrain.

“In this difficult and tense context, let us not deprive our parishioners of their spiritual strength and communion,” wrote Fr. Francis P. Joseph, the parish priest. “As we find ourselves in this difficult and unusual situation, I ask you all to please stay strong and safe.”

Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar for Southern Arabia, called for a de-escalation and stressed the need for “authentic and responsible dialogue: mutual threats sow destruction; they do not build peace and stability.”

The vocation of the Holy Land

In the Holy Land, the past few days have also been marked by the sound of sirens as Iranian fire rained down on the State of Israel. At the French Biblical School of Jerusalem, the semi-underground sacristy corridor served as a shelter for Dominican friars, students, and visitors to take refuge.

Masses for peace have been celebrated using the specific missal texts “in time of war or civil disturbance,” underlined Brother Olivier Poquillon, director of the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF).

“Since Saturday, we have had one alert after another,” the Dominican friar said. “For us, it is all the more important to continue studying the texts in their context. It takes on its full meaning because conflicts are an integral part of the history of salvation. It reminds us of what Christ, the Prince of Peace, says at the heart of these conflicts.”

As attention turns to the skies and radar systems focus on Iran, the Holy Land continues to suffer. Violence on the ground persists, particularly in the West Bank, where the Christian village of Taybeh is under constant harassment.

Olivier Bonnel
Source: vaticannews.va/en