May 7, 2016 / 16:44 pm
The future of Christianity in the Middle East remains uncertain, and it is critical that the international community remain engaged, said a Melkite Catholic archbishop from Syria.
Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart of Aleppo delivered these comments during a two-day visit to Connecticut that culminated with meetings at the international headquarters of the Knights of Columbus in New Haven.
The visit began Sunday night with a talk by the archbishop at St. Mary's Church, where he recounted Syria's deep Christian history, including as the place where St. Paul was transformed from being a major persecutor of the Christians to becoming one of the Church's first great missionaries.
"Even from the beginning, these Christians – then called Nazarenes – remained faithful to Christ," said Jeanbart, who urged his listeners to feel united with "my people," by sharing the ancient faith that comes from his part of the world, and recalling this unity in the Eucharist.