Christianity in the Middle East explained to kids

Christianity is one of the world's largest religions, with over 1.2 billion followers worldwide. Christianity began in the Middle East, and today there are around 13 million Christians living in the region. Christians in the Middle East come from a variety of different denominations, including Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. The largest Christian groups in the Middle East are the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt (with around 10 million members), the Syriac Orthodox Church (with around 3 million members), and the Armenian Apostolic Church (with around 2 million members). Christians in the Middle East have faced persecution from Islamic extremists in recent years, and many have been forced to flee their homes. In 2016, the Islamic State (IS) group released a video showing the execution of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya. In 2017, IS militants attacked a Coptic church in Egypt, killing at least 9 people. In 2018, IS militants bombed a church in the city of Aleppo in Syria, killing at least 15 people. Despite the risks, many Christians in the Middle East continue to practice their faith openly. In some countries, such as Egypt, Christians make up a significant minority of the population and enjoy freedom of religion. In other countries, such as Syria and Iraq, Christians are a minority and face discrimination and violence. The situation for Christians in the Middle East has improved in recent years, with the defeat of IS in Iraq and Syria. However, Christians continue to face persecution from Islamic extremists in many parts of the region.