Syrian patriarch fears Christianity is being wiped out in Middle East

The head of the Syrian Orthodox church has said he fears Christianity is in danger of being wiped out in large parts of the Middle East.

Patriarch Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church made the remarks in an interview with Catholic charity Aid To The Church In Need (ACN).

“I am worried that Christianity is on the way out in Syria and Iraq, as well as Lebanon,” he said.

The European Parliament reported in March last year that more than 700,000 Christians had fled Syria since 2011. The proportion of Christians living in the Middle East is approximately 5 per cent, down from 20 per cent at the beginning of the previous century.