Source: The National Herald By Ambassador Patrick N. Theros Notes and Comments on the Land Where Christ Lived, Died, and Was Resurrected Most Americans, even within our community, know little about the once-vast Christian populations of the Near and Middle East – communities that once outnumbered the Christians of Europe. Today, they survive only as scattered remnants, mostly single-digit minorities east of the Mediterranean except in Lebanon; even there, the numbers dwindle. Among the most endangered are the indigenous Palestinian Christians, whose extinction now seems possible. I recently spoke with Mother Agapia, a Russian Orthodox nun – an American who has…
Browsing: Patrick N Theros
Source: The National Herald by Amb. Patrick N. Theros, Special to The National Herald In recent weeks Russian and European websites have posted a scurrilous fabrication linking the Ecumenical Patriarchate to Fethullah Gulen, the exiled Turkish cleric and educator, accused by Turkish President Erdogan of orchestrating the failed coup. The article in question was falsely attributed to retired American Ambassador Arthur Hughes. The fabricators hacked Amb. Hughes’ email and to lend credibility created a false Facebook account in his name carrying the same story. Hughes, who is an old colleague and good personal friend, has repeatedly denied he wrote the article and…