The engagement of Austria

Enacting “rapid and not bureaucratic” aid to Christians in Iraq is the objective of the network “Christians in the East”, founded in Wien past April 18. A large number of people, including representatives of the Eastern Catholic Churches and Institutions took part in the institutive reunion. AiD AND INFORMATION. The difficult situation of Christians in the Middle East is the reason for the establishment in Austria of a “network” of Eastern communities and institutions. The association, called “Christen im Orient” (“Christians in the East”) was founded on April 18 in Wien. It owes its existence to an initiative of the auxiliary bishop of Wien, Msgr. Franz Scharl. “Christen im Orient” is an expression of the solidarity towards Christians undergoing persecutions in Eastern Countries and the platform of a rapid exchange of current news”, underlined the secretary general of “Pro Oriente” Marion Wittine, in an interview with the Austrian Catholic news agency Kathpress held at the end of the reunion. “The meeting served as a first contact between the representatives of Eastern Christians in Wien and as a first exchange of views through projects envisaging support to the Christians in the Middle East and to Eastern Christians living in Austria”, Wittine explained, adding that participants in the reunion unanimously agreed that “rapid and non-bureaucratic aid to Christians experiencing an emergency situation in Iraq is necessary”, along with support to Christian refugees in the area. The reunion highlighted the need to speak “with a single voice” in order to raise effective public awareness on the Christians’ serious situation. “Only few know that the Countries in the near East were the first to be completely Christian and that Christian theology, spirituality and culture were born in these regions”, he pointed out. AND IN AUSTRIA? The meeting was also an occasion to supply data on the situation of Eastern Christians in Austria. The community of the orthodox patriarchate of Antiochia includes some 150 families, 110 of whom live in Wien, and 40 in Innsbruck. As referred by the Chorbischof Emanuel Aydin, some 500 families in Austria are members of the Syrian Orthodox Church, 400 of whom in Wien. The Maronite Catholic community includes some 40 families while the Catholic Caldean community counts some 200 families. The Melchite Catholic community counts some 80 families while 40 families are members of the Assyrian Community. The Coptic Orthodox Church has 10,000 members, 6,000 of whom live in Wien. An International Coptic Centre is planned to be set up in Wien. Christians of Middle-Eastern origin in Austria – who are members of 12 Churches – are mostly Arabic-speakers. They are represented by an organization called “Union of Eastern Christians”. THE PROTAGONISTS. The network’s foundation ceremony was attended by priests from most Middle-Eastern Churches represented in Wien: Mihail Papas (Orthodox Patriarchate of Antiochia) ), Michel Harb (Maronite Catholic Church), Hanna Ghoneim (Melchite Catholic Church), Chorbischof Emanuel Aydin (Syrian Orthodox Church), Lukas Bakhiet (Orthodox Coptic Church), Raad Washan Sarah (Caldean Catholic Church), Tawer Andrious (Assyrian Church). The Roman Catholic Church was represented by Msgr. Scharl who chaired the meeting at the “Pro Oriente” offices. The reunion was attended also by representatives of numerous organizations and charitable institutions which have their home offices in Austria. These include: Werner Frühwirth, Secretary General of the initiative “Christian Solidarity International” (Csi); Alexander Kraljic, Secretary General of the work community of Afro Asian Catholic Communities, (Arge Aag); Leo Maasburg, director of the Austrian seat of the Pontifical Missionary Insitution; Klaus Strassner from the association “Initiative Christlicher Orient” (“Christian East initiative”); Herbert Rechberger, director of the charitable organization “Kirche in Not”; Wolfgang Zehetner, Secretary General of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Komtur Frieder Herrmann, Dikran Cevik from the “Syriac Universal Alliance”, Willam Tadros from the Eastern Christians Union (“Union Orientalischer Christen”), Wail Yousif, from the association “Verein Stern des Orients”, and Kamal Abd el Nour representing the Initiative for Coptic-Austrian friendship.