Cross in Fire

Exhibition in the St. Augustine Church in Vienna

available until December 15, 2021

The number of Middle-Eastern Christian communities dramatically dropped in the past years. The data of the institutions monitoring religious discrimination, explain it clearly: worldwide Christians are most often attacked  for their religion.

This fascinating exhibition is based on scientific analysis and the study of the Hungarian National Museum and other cooperating research Institutes.

The Pew Research Center has identified Christianity as the most persecuted religion today.

According to Open Doors USA, an average of 105 churches or Christian buildings are burned or attacked every month. In addition, an average of 345 Christians are killed for faith-related reasons every single month. In the course of the time pased between 1 November 2017 and 31 Oktober 2018, over 245 million Christians were living of perscution. There were 4.305 Christians killed for their faith, 1.847 churches and other Christian buildings were attacked, and 3.150 believers have been detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned.

Due to the attacks and atrocities, the emigration of Christians from the Middle East has been going on for decades. As a result, this religion and culture may disappear permanently from the region.

The mass exodus of the Christians from the Middle East began with the genocide of Armenians and Syrian Christians in 1915. According to unofficial reports, there are currently 350-400 thousand Syrian Christians and Chaldeans living in Europe.

        Foto: Attila Kovács

Christian communities in the Middle East in numbers between 2011 and 2016:

Egypt: 2010: 5 million according to the official census

2016: 10 million according to church registrations

Lebanon: 2010: 1,6 million

Jordan: 2010: 140 thousand

Syria: 2010: 1,5 million

2016: 500 thousand

Iraq: 2011: 700 thousand

2016: 275 thousand

            Foto: Attila Kovács

Hungarian assistence

Hungary was the first country to address the issue of persecuted Christians at a governmental level. The Hungary Helps Program, launched in 2016 is a humanitarian model with an unique approach involves faith-based organisations. The Hungarian Government, in cooperation with local church institutions, provides direct assistance to vulnerable communities.

Since the launch of the Hungary Helps Program, it has helped more than 70 thousand people in 10 countries all over the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa to remain, or return to their homes.

        Foto: Attila Kovács