Christians represented 20 percent of the Turkish population at the beginning of the 20th century, but by today their number have decreased to a mere 0.2 percent.

The first Assyrians arrived in Armenia in 1805 from Turkey and Persia, a process that accelerated significantly in 1828 and between 1915-1918.

What caused this migration? What is the situation of Christian minorities in Turkey compared to in Armenia?

There was a time when Christian communities resided in what is now modern Turkey, but that time has ended. In more recent times, the lives of Christians in this part of the Middle East have been a never-ending series of dramas. There were moments of prosperity, but also episodes of official efforts to eradicate Christians and their history. Consequently, the number of local Christians decreased dramatically.

Overall, the number of Christians in Turkey today does not exceed 100,000 people, out of a population of some 84 million. Christian schools are in sharp decline and we read regularly about the confiscation of church property. Of course, the whole world is aware of the recent decision by Turkish...