Hungarian Conservative

‘Christian doctrine as taught by the Church of Rome had historically provided society with a point of reference for moral guidance, which subsequently “ensure[d] that politics remain[ed] rational and d[id] not fall into the trap of ideologies”. Yet since the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), the institutional Church, or some who speak for Her, have steadily dismantled the remnants of Christendom with ambiguous, if not erroneous teachings.’

‘Both Jordan and Israel, each for different reasons, are part of a larger trend of the deChristianization of the Middle East. Many churchmen fear that in a generation or two Christianity, like Judaism before it, will become a diaspora religion; exiled from its birthplace. In this dark vision, the great Christian churches, shrines, and monuments will become the objects of pilgrimage, mere museums, rather than vibrant, living places of worship.’

At the end of the opening worship service, participants collectively prayed for persecuted Christians. Since 2018, the opening day of the joint programme series of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference and ECCH has also been designated as the Sunday for praying for persecuted Christians. The leaders of ECCH’s member churches participated in the liturgical service.

Tristan Azbej explained that through these amendments, Hungary will not only provide humanitarian aid but also contribute to economic development and peace-building efforts.

“For all the trials the Christians have endured—from famine during the Ottoman Empire to British bombardment during World War I and the rule of Hamas—the potential future for our Christian brethren in the Holy Land after the war is eventually over seems bleak.’

According to the 2023 World Watch List compiled by Open Doors, Pakistan is the seventh most dangerous country for Christians in the world. There are around 4.2 million Christians in Pakistan—only 1.8 per cent of the country’s population of more than 229 million people. Pakistani Christians are considered second-class citizens and are discriminated against in every public and private life aspect.

The roots of Christianity in Egypt can be traced back almost two millennia. Coptic Christians, who have their own distinct culture and language, have been living in the country since before the arrival of Muslim Arabs. For the most part, Muslims and Christians coexisted peacefully in Egypt until the mid-twentieth century, when things turned for the worse, due to growing radical Islamism and anti-Christian sentiments.

The ongoing conflict has seen the direct targeting of religious symbols, places of worship and refuge as more than 250 churches of different denominations have been burned down or damaged across the state.  Since the clashes began, 180 people were killed, thousands have been injured, more than 60,000 have been displaced, and more than 12,000 have fled to the neighbouring Mizoram state.

‘Many people have died, almost every family is mourning someone, and providing for the family is a daily struggle…we are talking about people who fled the horrors of war, their hometown, and even often their country, and yet we saw that even a gesture of help is sufficient to encourage them to accept the uncertainty and difficulties and return to their homeland. No sane person does this unless they believe in something, and these people believe in providence,’ State Secretary in Charge of Aid to Persecuted Christian Communities Tristan Azbej said in a recent interview.

Hungary has recently been making its presence known in the world of international aid, with its most recent efforts being in earthquake-ravaged Turkey. The small nation has focused its initiatives on providing aid to oppressed Christians, which now face record-level highs of global persecution today. Global aid has poured in to relieve the suffering of the region’s minorities following the end of the war against ISIS, during which the region’s Christians, along with other minority communities such as the Yezidis, suffered barbaric crimes.

In his interview with Richard Quest, Péter Szijjártó asked the rhetorical question: ‘Do you think all this would be possible if there were systemic corruption? Because if there is systemic corruption, there is no growth, investors do not come, and they do not bring their money here.’

The Hungary Helps Programme, however, does not only help persecuted Christians, but provides effective support in crisis areas and areas that are hit by man-made or natural disasters as well. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Hungary has provided 130 billion forints (335.6 million euros) in aid to the victims of the war in Ukraine. Hungary also sent ten tons of relief supplies to Turkey immediately after the deadly earthquakes on 6 February and 50 million forints (132,000 euros) to Syria.

Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, Archbishop of Addis Ababa, said Ethiopia and Hungary had both preserved their Christian values, making them similar in many ways.

David Curry has been the CEO of the most well-known international ministry, Open Doors USA, for ten years. The organisation recently changed its name to Global Christian Relief to achieve better cooperation between Christian denominations and NGO networks, and thus to help persecuted Christians more efficiently.

According to Juliana Taimoorazy, the future of Assyrian Iraqi Christians is worrisome. She underscored that the situation could improve only if their religious leaders would start educating Muslim communities and if a steadfast partnership with different Islamic organisations would come to life.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade was in Brussels to take part in the European Humanitarian Forum, where he talked about the excessive efforts Hungary has made to help over 1 million Ukrainian refugees, and another 1 million persecuted Christians around the world.

As an example of Christian-based politics, the President presented the elements and principles of Hungarian family policy. She highlighted that it is not the state’s role to tell anyone how to live, but it is its duty to provide opportunities for people to have children if they choose to do so.

Hungarian President Katalin Novák urged peace talks between Russia and Ukraine during her visit to Rome earlier this week.

The stoic acceptance of suffering is a virtue highlighted by all Christians, but it is the extreme case of martyrdom where the Coptic Church is arguably distinct from the rest.

The conscious undermining of the Christian religion, which has been going on in the public discourse for many decades now, has reached its goal. Nothing is sacred anymore.

‘There is no justification for the State Department’s failure to recognize Nigeria or India as egregious violators of religious freedom, as they each clearly meet the legal standards for designation as CPCs.’

Every minor detail of Europeans’ lives is being discussed in Brussels, except faith. Hölvényi called this an ‘ontological absurdity’, given spirituality’s central place in human consciousness. Eastern Europeans can at least blame communism for this, but Western nations let religion be banished from public life on their own accord.

‘Christians in the Middle East are sacrificing their lives to preserve their faith and identity,’ Juliana Taimoorazy, an Assyrian Christian activist reminded us in the interview she granted to Mandiner.

The conference featured several distinguished speakers, including Tristan Azbej, State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Julianna Taimoorazy.

‘The pandemic reminded me of the isolation that persecuted Christians feel all the time. Therefore, I decided to write this book as a document of these people who in 100 years might be entirely eradicated from their homes.’

Although last year’s report already mentioned the harmful effects of the covid pandemic on religious persecution, the situation has worsened this year.

Biden administration not only forgot about persecuted Christian communities, but also denied the fact that there was religious persecution in Nigeria.

The most persecuted religion of the world is Christianity. The Hungarian government was the first in the world to establish a special administrative organ, the State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, and it launched the Hungary Helps Program in 2017.

Joe Biden has still not raised awareness to Christian persecution. As Biden remains silent on this issue more and more American Christians urge the president to speak up and help Christians in need.