Future of Christianity is in jeopardy, warns Prince of Wales

THE PRINCE of Wales (pictured right) has warned that the future of Christianity is in jeopardy in the Middle East, writes Catherine Pepinster.

Speaking to refugees from the region and to clerics from Middle Eastern Churches, he warned: “There is a very real crisis that threatens the very existence of Christianity in its place of origin. This affects us all. Christianity is not a foreign religion in the Middle East. It has been part of the Middle East for 2,000 years.”

The Prince was speaking at a reception on 17 December hosted by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, at Archbishop’s House. He met members of various Middle-Eastern Christian denominations and refugees from Syria, Egypt, Iraq and other Middle East countries who told him of their persecution by Islamist fundamentalists.

The Prince warned that the Christian heritage of the region was under threat as never before.

“The churches are being targeted by fanatics. The impact that this violence has had on people is heartbreaking. This is a reminder of what people will sink to in the name of faith,” he said.

The Prince spent an hour talking to refugees and church leaders and hearing their stories. Among them was Mark Mansor, from Iraq, who lost nine of his relatives, including his brother, when they tried to cross the sea from Turkey to Greece. He spoke to Prince Charles about his efforts to bring his late brother’s nine-year-old son, who survived the boat journey and is now in Athens, to join him in London.

Iraqi student Sarmad Ozan, 24, a member of the Syriac Orthodox Church, told Prince Charles of how he fled Mosul with his family after they were threatened by IS terrorists.