ISLAM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

54 THEMISSIONOFTHEEASTERN CHURCH INTHEDIASPORA Ed. The School - 12-1996 1. Short history The diaspora of Christians from the East, begun in the first centuries of Christianity, continued until the eighth century. In the early days, it was not an escape, as will happen later, but it was linked to the mis- sionary mandate of the Church. Evange- lization spread from Syria to the western shores of the Mediterranean and to the Far East. The main center of missionary propa- gation was Antioch, to whose community reference was made for the preparation of the religious who were preparing to le- ave. Even the apostle Paul stayed there for a while. During the Muslim domination the migratory flows of Christians took pla- ce within the borders of the empire. In the years of the Ottoman Empire (1516-1918) until the expedition of Napoleon to Egypt in 1798 communications between the Eastern and Western worlds were reduced and emigration outside the territories subjected to the Sublime Porte were negligible. After the Napoleonic occupation in 1801, Mehe- met Alì came to power in Egypt in 1805, which proposed to bring the country to modernity, favoring its cultural and econo- mic awakening. The new political climate attracts many Middle Eastern Christians to Egypt, coming from countries that are not very tolerant of minorities. Entire Syro-Le- banese villages are emptied. In the space of a few years, Christians will invite their priests to join them, thus trying to rebuild the community. During another diaspora to the West and South America, the emigran- ts gave rise to several settlements created based on the country of origin. In the new offices in the West and in the New World, the distinctions between Orthodox and Ca- tholics weaken. The emigration of Muslim communities whose members have decided for econo- mic or political reasons to move elsewhe- re should not be forgotten. It is estima- ted that the Muslim diaspora accounted for 20% of the total emigration from the Middle East. In more recent times, in the 1960s, there was a new, massive emigra- tion of Christians from Egypt to Europe and North America. It was the conse- quence of the advent to power of Gamal Abdel-Nasser, who tried to establish a pan-Arab state, limiting the freedom of minorities and strengthening the central power of the state. The Jews went to the State of Israel, created in 1948, Christians of European origin in their respective countries of origin: Italy, France, Greece, Malta and Great Britain. The descendants of the first Syrian-Lebanese immigrants made their way to Lebanon and Ameri- ca. The diaspora did not even spare the Copts who, though reluctant to leave their country, founded communities in Europe, North America and Australia. Emigration to the Gulf countries was not permanent. Christians in Arab countries today are ste- adily decreasing and suffering from the uncertainty of the future. Young people find employment difficult and the housing crisis does not encourage them to form a new family. Those who have left their homeland are by far the most numerous and usually return only as tourists. 2. Christian presence The risk of cultural annihilation is, it is not