Greek Minister of Defense calls to protect Christians in the Middle East
The head of the department emphasized that Greece will continue to support the Orthodox patriarchates of Lebanon and Syria.
On November 13, 2025, the Minister of National Defense of Greece, Nikos Dendias, once again raised the issue of protecting the Christian population in the Middle East. This was reported by Orthodoxia news agency.
During a meeting in Athens with the Minister of Defense of Lebanon, Michel Menassah, the head of the Defense Department of Greece called the support of Christian communities in the region a priority for Athens. He emphasized that Greece consistently opposes any forms of violence aimed at restricting religious freedom.
According to Dendias, Christian communities in the Middle East are indigenous to the region and an important part of the cultural and historical tradition of countries, including Lebanon and Syria. In this regard, Greece intends to continue supporting the Greek Orthodox patriarchates operating in these territories.
The minister also recalled Athens' ongoing initiatives related to educational and cultural cooperation, particularly with the University of Balamand. He noted that Greece continues to deepen contacts with religious and academic centers in Lebanon.
In conclusion, Dendias confirmed that the protection of Christian communities remains one of the constant directions of Greece's foreign policy in the region.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Archbishop of Greece Ieronymos urged Trump to protect the monastery on Sinai.
