The Last Prayer: The Situation of Christians in the Middle East

As ISIS and other extremist groups continue to threaten, enslave and kill Christians, their history in the birthplace of their faith hangs in the balance. In the global war against Christianity, over 100,000 Christians are martyred every year, with many more harassed, raped, attacked, and forced to flee their homes and holy places.

Nowhere is this problem more severe than in the Middle East, where almost 1.5 million Christians lived in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Today, less than 200,000 remain. ISIS has vowed to cleanse the areas they control of Christians, and outside the caliphate, Christians are regarded with suspicion and seen to represent the West. Despite the danger, some Christians are reluctant to leave, fearing that if minority groups start to leave, other minorities will become more vulnerable.