Understanding a Rûm Shu’ubiyyah

By Ilias Michail & Elias Antonius

Many seem to have a difficult time understanding the meaning of a Rûm ethnic identity. They often confuse the message with some kind of ludicrous attempt at “turning Lebanese or Syrians into Greeks”. Thus, portraying ethnic Rûm supporters as “extremists” or people obsessed with a ‘foreign’ identity. However, this is a complete distortion and misunderstanding of the very idea of a Rûm Shu’ubiyyah. The main culprit behind this confusion is a misunderstanding of two things. First, the difference between Nationality and Ethnicity. The second, the concept of what it means to be Greek and Greece itself. 

ACTION ALERT – Arabist Father Georges Massouh betrays our Roum heritage AGAIN!

On February 4^th, 2015, Greek Orthodox Priest and Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Studies at Balamand University, Fr. Georges Massouh released a statement in response to Lebanese Druze MP Waleed Jumblat, who recently blamed the failure of Arabism on the Levant’s indigenous minorities. 

In the statement, which was published by Lebanonfiles.com, Fr. Massouh defended MP Jumblat’s words. Going as far as to say, “The Byzantine Greeks lost their power in this country. Their empire has fallen, thanks to Allah it fell, and the Greeks in our country accepted for themselves separation between religion and the state, and consented to themselves a secular state”.  

Second Commemoration of the kidnapping of Greek and Armenian Priests

Today, exactly two years ago, on February 9th, 2013, Greek Orthodox priest Maher Mahfouz and Armenian priest Michel Kayyal were kidnapped by Islamists patrolling the road from Aleppo to Damascus. The two holy men were taken from a public bus while traveling to the Rûm town of Kafroun. Their fate and whereabouts, to date, are unknown. 

Remember our 300! Remember Sergius!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 4^th, 2015

Today, on the 1,381 Anniversary of the Battle of Dathin, we remember the 300 Rûm Soldiers that gave their lives alongside their commander, Sergius, for a Romaic Levant. For the Rûm people, today is not a day celebration or bravery, but one of mourning and self-reflection. For although generations have past, the wolves which surrounded Sergius still encircle us.