Patriarch Younan on the Legacy of Pope Francis in the Middle East, the Situation in Syria, and the Future of the Eastern Churches.

    Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan, born on November 15, 1944, in Al-Hasakah, Syria, has served as the head of the Syriac Catholic Church of Antioch since January 20, 2009. After his ordination in 1971, he worked as a pastor in Syria and Lebanon before being sent to the United States in 1986 to establish communities for Syriac Catholic faithful. In 1995, Pope John Paul II appointed him as the first bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark. As Patriarch, he advocates globally for the concerns of Christians in the Middle East.

    Your Beatitude, you experienced the pontificate of Pope Francis from the perspective of a community often under pressure. What legacy has this pontificate left among the faithful in the cradle of Christianity?
    With the death of Pope Francis, the Eastern Churches, the universal Church, and indeed the entire world lost a merciful father, a hero of peace, and a champion of fraternal humanity. The apostolic Churches of the Middle East—oppressed and discriminated against for centuries—were often met with indifference by large parts of the Latin Church, which seeks to identify itself with the global Church. Many had once hoped that Pope Francis would actively advocate for their survival in their homelands, particularly during his official pastoral visit to Iraq. The Eastern Churches became frustrated and felt threatened with being forgotten, even as many words were spent within the Church on the topic of synodality! We now hope that the new successor of Peter will fulfill the promises made by Pope Francis.

    In 2024, you had the opportunity for a personal meeting with Pope Francis. Looking back, what impression did he leave on you?
    Pope Francis showed deep concern about the catastrophic security situation and the existential threats faced by Christians and other non-Muslim minorities in the Middle East. Our Syriac Catholic Church—one of the smallest sui juris Churches—was among the most heavily affected by killings, destruction, and the displacement of thousands of believers in Iraq and Syria. The Pope seriously feared that our survival in our native lands was at stake.

    Has the Holy See done enough, especially in relation to Muslim rulers and the Muslim-majority society, which is known for not always treating religious minorities equally?
    The Holy See certainly called upon international governments time and again to seriously work for the protection of Christians and all minorities who have lived in the Middle East for millennia. The main problem, however, was and remains the extreme difficulty in persuading Muslims worldwide to adopt and live by a religious understanding founded on respect for all people—just as the merciful God commands us.

    After years of conflict, the situation in Syria has changed politically and militarily, but real peace is still elusive. Many Western observers welcomed the fall of the old order without considering the long-term consequences for the civilian population. How do you see the situation of the people on the ground today, particularly in Syria?
    It seems that the so-called democratic countries of the West have no real interest other than befriending and supporting the ruling regimes of the majority society. For political reasons, they often ignore the survival of minorities, especially Christians, who are the indigenous people of their countries in the Middle East. The reactive stance of most Western politicians toward the new regime in Syria is largely shaped by the politically correct language of their media, which tend to attribute their own immigration problems to the former rulers of Syria. We sincerely hope that the newly established regime in Syria will actively strive for the reconciliation and peaceful reunification of all its citizens.

    In January 2021, you signed an appeal against the sanctions imposed by the Biden administration. Washington remained firm. Have the past years been "lost years," as they only intensified the suffering of the civilian population without achieving any political effect? Western media also rarely connect the sanctions to the regime change in Damascus.
    It is widely acknowledged that international sanctions against any regime primarily harm the civilian population. Christians in Syria suffered greatly under the years of sanctions imposed on their country. These measures intensified the terrible violence of the religious war and led to the displacement of thousands of Christian families. Of course, the chaos also affected citizens of all religions and denominations. However, it had devastating consequences for the Christian population, whose numbers steadily declined – especially among the young. This tragedy was simply ignored by the politicians of secularized Western regimes, who portray themselves as defenders of freedom and supporters of oppressed peoples.

    Over the past four years, have you noticed any change in the West's efforts to improve the situation on the ground?
    It is doubtful whether most Western politicians are genuinely interested in the survival of Christians in the Middle East. Rather, they seem more concerned with pandering to the rulers of the majority societies in order to find credible solutions for the threatening presence of political Islam in their own countries.

    Conversely, what could the West learn from the experiences of the people living in this region?
    Christians worldwide, and particularly in the Middle East, strive to follow Jesus, their divine teacher, to be true peacemakers, and to avoid violence. Yet they are mocked by the secular world, which interprets their stance as weakness rather than a sign of resilience.

    Apart from humanitarian issues, what do you currently see as the greatest danger in the region, particularly in Syria?
    Let me tell you: In order to survive in Syria and throughout the Middle East, Christians had to rely on God, their Heavenly Father, and on themselves – especially in the worst situations of poverty, oppression, and displacement. It is understandable that, due to wars and economic crises, they fell into hardship and poverty and had to rely on the aid of Christian organizations to survive and to preserve their roots, churches, and institutions. Above all, Christians need genuine political and moral support in order to live with dignity and in Christian freedom.

    What roles do Syria’s neighboring countries play? It seems that Turkey and Israel now view the Lebanese-Syrian area as their backyard.
    It is well known that the rapid changes in Syria would not have been possible without the military support of some neighboring countries and foreign militias. We must continue to pray for Syria and especially for all its minorities, including Christians, who fear even more turbulent times ahead.

    What diplomatic or spiritual steps would you wish the next Pope to take toward the Islamic majority societies of the Middle East?
    We need a clear language of truth, spoken in love. This means reminding Muslims that building a peaceful world requires all people to embrace kindness and mutual tolerance in order to create a livable planet for everyone – not only for the followers of their own religion. It is important to recall some words from a speech by Egyptian President al-Sisi: "In order to renew religious discourse," he said on Monday, April 21, "we need enlightened Muftis who understand the challenges, who are capable of preserving what is good, spreading mercy, and being ambassadors of peace in the world."

    Do Muslims ignore the conclave, or does the process also spark interest among them?
    I hope our Muslim friends are interested in the outcome of the upcoming conclave. Many of them feel challenged by the Christian faith. They need a more effective relationship based on genuine dialogue – not on monologue, as is often the case at religious assemblies. True Muslims believe in sincere dialogue with Christians who speak to them with respect and compassion in the spirit of truth.

    If you could offer the new Pope a single wish or piece of advice – what would it be?
    I would like to share two concerns with the new Pope: First, to clearly uphold the sanctity of the family, which is founded on a man and a woman, a father and a mother, who, together with God Almighty, share the wonderful gift of life. Children are not playthings for adults; they have the right to grow up in a family with both a father and a mother.
My second wish is to ask the new Pope to support the survival of the Eastern Catholic Churches by allowing them to shepherd their faithful in Europe – just as the Latin Church has the right to establish its dioceses in the Middle East. This second wish would be a true expression of synodality in the universal Church.

    Christian media often lament the persecution and decline, if not the disappearance, of the world’s oldest Christian communities. How serious is the situation?
    What the Christian media report about the decline of Christianity in the Middle East is true and represents a real threat. We feel abandoned by the Western countries, which are deeply enslaved to secularism and materialism while worrying about Muslim immigration. In truth, the cradle of Christianity is at risk of vanishing. This would be – God forbid – not only a loss for the countries of the East, but for the universal Church and the culture of humanity itself.

    Statement
    Patriarch Younan holds up a mirror to the West: Out of fear and opportunism, many governments ignore the dying out of Christians in the Middle East. Sanctions and political hypocrisy have only deepened their suffering. Yet Younan also directs an appeal to the new Pope: to offer a clear commitment to truth, family, and genuine solidarity – not in the language of diplomacy, but in the spirit of courageous love. The Middle East needs a shepherd who protects the weak and encourages the survivors – before the cradle of Christianity falls silent forever.