Eastern Orthodoxy in Saudi Arabia

Eastern Orthodoxy in Saudi Arabia is a Christian minority consisting of people of various nationalities that are adherents of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The percentage of Saudi Arabian citizens who are Christians is officially zero.[1] The Saudi Arabian Mutaween (Arabic: مطوعين), or Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (i.e., the religious police) prohibits the practice of any religion other than Islam.[2] The Greek Orthodox have some numerical strength.[3] Major nationalities in Saudi Arabia include Egyptians, Syrians, Palestinians and Lebanese.[4]

In 2018, it was reported that the religious police had stopped enforcing the ban on Christians religious services. It was also reported that a Coptic Mass was openly conducted for the first time in Riyadh during the visit of Ava Morkos, Coptic Bishop of Shobra Al-Kheima in Egypt.[5][6] Morkos was originally invited to Saudi Arabia by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in March 2018.[6]

## References

1. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency. "Saudi Arabia". The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/saudi-arabia/.
2. ↑ International Religious Freedom Report 2008 - Saudi Arabia
3. ↑ Kjeilen, Tore. "Greek Orthodox Church". http://i-cias.com/e.o/greek_orth.htm.
4. ↑ United States Department of State 2009 report
5. ↑ Coptstoday.com, December 1, 2018.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "For First Time Ever, Christian Mass Held Openly In Saudi Arabia (Special dispatch 7795)". memri.org. 6 December 2018. https://www.memri.org/reports/coptic-bishop-holds-first-ever-mass-in-saudi-arabia.

## See also

* Christianity in Saudi Arabia
* Protestantism in Saudi Arabia
* Roman Catholicism in Saudi Arabia
* Human rights in Saudi Arabia
* Freedom of religion in Saudi Arabia
* Christianity in the Middle East
* Christianity in Eastern Arabia
* Arab Christians

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