The Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris has organized a landmark exhibition which features the 2,000-year history of Christianity in the Middle East amid the threat and hardships that Christian communities in the region have been facing.
On Sept. 25, French President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanese leader Michel Aoun inaugurated the exhibition titled "Oriental Christians: 2,000 Years of History" in central Paris. The display includes frescoes, manuscripts, mosaics, liturgical objects and other items that document the history of the Christian faith in the Middle East, France 24 reported.
Some of the items included in IMA's exhibition have never been displayed in public in Europe before. Spectators will be treated to a walk-through of the establishment of the first Christian churches, the Muslim conquest, the Catholic and Protestant Missions, Christians' role in the Arab renaissance, and other aspects that highlight the contribution of Christianity to history.
"IMA's mission is to shed light on the various aspects of cultures and beliefs present in the Arab world, and I realised there had never been an exhibition of this magnitude devoted to Christians in the Middle East before," IMA president and former French culture minister Jack Lang told France 24.
At the end of the walk-through display, viewers will see current photos of practicing Christians in the Middle East as a message that says these people will maintain their presence in the region despite the persecution that they endure. IMA's exhibition will run until Jan. 14, 2018.
by Lorraine Caballero
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