Hungary is allocating $1.7 million to help rebuild old and damaged Christian churches in Lebanon, Hungarian Free Press reports. The donation will go towards the restoration of 31 churches in nine regions of Lebanon.
“If we really want to help, we should help where the real problem is. We should first help the Christian people before Islamic people,” PM Orbán said.
In a move to help Lebanon’s Christian minority preserve its culture and identity in the Middle East, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán tasked the Minister of the National Economy to transfer the money for renovation. The government hopes that Lebanese Christians will be able to practice their faith freely in their country.
Aside from donating money for the said restoration, Hungary will also be coordinating the projects with academics and experts. The Embassy of Hungary in Beirut will work with scholars from Pazmany Peter Catholic University and Lebanese specialists from the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslikot throughout the duration of the projects.
Hungary has now become a protector of Christians both within and outside its borders.
Not only is the government helping Christians in Lebanon, it also caters to the needs of its own Christians. The government provides assistance—cash and in kind, to the Orthodox church in Budapest’s Petőfi tér. The need for building permits from city planners has been waived so church renovations could easily be done without delay.
Hungary has now become a protector of Christians both within and outside its borders. In September 2016, it is the first country to open an office dedicated to helping persecuted Christians in the Middle East and Europe, reports Pravoslavie.ru.
“If we really want to help, we should help where the real problem is. We should first help the Christian people before Islamic people,” PM Orbán said.
At an international Budapest conference on Christian persecution held in January, Hungary announced that is wants to be “a hub and supporter” of groups fighting for the rights of Christians.
Sources:
Hungarianfreepresscom. (2017). Hungarian Free Press. http://hungarianfreepress.com/2017/07/20/hungary-provides-1-8-million-to-restore-lebanons-christian-churches/
Pravoslavieru. (2017). Pravoslavieru. http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/105330.htm
