Christians In Lebanon May Have No Place Left To Go

Government corruption, currency destabilization, and recent events such as the Beirut blasts are pushing Lebanon further into financial uncertainty and potential for collapse and state failure, leaving Christians without a safe haven in the Middle East. Lebanon has nearly a 40% Christian population, hosting Christian minorities fleeing conflict elsewhere in the region.

As the country faces financial collapse, international banks are withdrawing their operations. Advocacy groups warned that Lebanon could face complete state failure, a financial collapse that would affect international and western markets. Experts recommend that stabilizing currency would be the best first step to take. Lebanon typically is seen as an intermediary between the Christian West and the Islamic Middle East, previously boasting of its model financial stability.

Following the August 2020 Beirut blast, Christians were attempting to leave the country for a new life. One advocacy group, IDC, estimates that around 60% of Lebanese citizens live below the poverty line. As Christians flee persecution in other countries, financial and political stability continue to elude them in Lebanon.