Paris show celebrates 2,000 years of Christianity in the Middle East
In a landmark exhibition, the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris is showcasing works, frescoes and scripts recounting the 2,000-year history of Christians in the Middle East – a heritage under threat in a region scarred by war and persecution.
The exhibition, “Oriental Christians: 2,000 Years of History”, was inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron and his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun at the IMA in central Paris on Monday, and will run until January 14. With Christian communities in the Middle East facing mounting threats, the show offers a timely reminder of the hardships they endure in the cradle of Christianity.
But it’s not just contemporary conflicts that have made Oriental Christians stand out. As the exhibition sets out to prove, their multi-faceted culture, rich heritage and long history have been instrumental in shaping the Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and the Palestinian territories) of today.