Although Jan De Volder (“A way out of the wilderness”, 9 May) regards the Apulia ecumenical meeting as a sign of hope for the beleaguered Christians of the Middle East, having just returned from my fourth visit in a year to Syria’s Christians, I regard it as but one in a largely irrelevant rosary of such meetings which have produced nothing by way of concrete proposals or plans of action for the Christians of the Arab world, who are currently being slaughtered, on a daily basis, for their faith.Rather, the gallant defenders of Aleppo, together with the Russian Orthodox Church, should be hailed for what they are: the true defenders of Christianity in the lands which gave birth to it. Indeed, contrary to what Mr De Volder implies, the Russian Orthodox Church has been a bea