‘Do Not Be Afraid’: Young Influencers Carry Middle Eastern Christians’ Voice to the Vatican
At the Catholic Church’s first Digital Jubilee in Rome, social media missionaries from Lebanon and the US shared their message of hope.
Every quarter century, the Catholic Church marks the Jubilee, a sacred season rooted in the Old Testament tradition of liberation and mercy. This year’s gathering in Rome carried an unprecedented twist: alongside the traditional pilgrimages, liturgies, and youth gatherings, the Vatican hosted its first “Digital Jubilee,” recognizing the role of online platforms in spreading the Gospel.
The event brought together Catholic “digital missionaries” from every continent—many of them young content creators—who use social media to teach, inspire, and connect. Among the attendees were Father Simon Esshaki, a Chaldean Catholic priest based in California, and twin brothers Charbel and Giovanni Roy Lteif, 21-year-old Maronite missionaries from Lebanon’s Keserwan district and founders of the Eastern Christians platform.
The Lteif brothers grew up in a small Lebanese community where religious life is woven into daily rhythms. “Our childhood was amazing, in spite of all the problems and struggles,” they told The Media Line. “The whole country is like one big family, despite the differences in religions and politics. We opened our arms for everyone—and that’s what made Lebanon stand on its feet. We lived our Christian values.”
When you’re born Christian in the Middle East, you’re born with a mission
Their social media work began as an instinctive response to a trend they could not ignore: Christians leaving the Middle East. “When you’re born Christian in the Middle East, you’re born with a mission,” they said. “You grow up hearing your parents’ and grandparents’ stories of how everybody fought for this land. Seeing all the Christians leaving leaves a part of you empty. We wanted to preserve what we have, to fight for it. All of these feelings made us do what we did.”
What they did was launch Eastern Christians, an account now followed by nearly 700,000 people on Instagram, blending history, education, news, and personal testimonies from Christian communities across the region. “We’re not political. We’re not propaganda. It’s purely from the Christians of the Middle East, in our own words,” they said.
At the Vatican’s Digital Jubilee, the brothers joined hundreds of other Catholic influencers. “It was historic,” they recalled. “The Vatican brought together people whose combined followers add up to over 10 million. Now, if we want to spread something to the whole world, we can send it in one WhatsApp message and it will reach everyone.”
Their most memorable moment came when they were invited on stage to speak about Eastern Christians. “Out of a thousand people at this conference, there were two from the Middle East—and that was us,” they said. “It felt like we were carrying the voice of all our communities with us.”
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
Most Western Christians don’t know much about us Eastern Catholics. I love the awareness they’re bringing to the Church as a whole.
Father Esshaki, who met them in Rome, praised their work. “They’re very bright young men doing a great job in spreading the Gospel,” he told The Media Line. “They’re living in Lebanon, in the Maronite tradition, while I’m Chaldean, and both our traditions have so much to offer. Most Western Christians don’t know much about us Eastern Catholics. I love the awareness they’re bringing to the Church as a whole.”
The brothers believe social media is critical to reconnecting young people with the Church. “Most Christians our age came to Christ from social media,” they explained. “There are countries where you can’t preach the Bible in person, but your videos can still enter people’s homes. Sometimes we post history or culture content that isn’t directly religious—but without realizing it, the viewer has let the Church into their house.”
They deliberately produce a mix of content—history, education, breaking news, and entertainment—so that followers stay for one reason but are exposed to others. “Religion has no ‘trend,’ but if someone follows us for history, they’ll also see a post about faith. It’s indirect evangelization,” they said.
For Father Esshaki, the digital pulpit is a natural extension of his ministry. “I had social media for a long time, but it became essential during the COVID lockdown when nobody could come to church,” he said. “I had to ask myself: where are my people now? I realized that maybe this is a good opportunity to start spreading the Gospel online. People were sick of toxic content. When they see something good for their soul, they want more of it.”
Even so, he stresses that online work must lead to a real encounter with Christ. “You don’t just encounter Him through the phone, but the phone and the videos you watch should lead you to a deeper connection with Jesus and the Church. My primary ministry will always be in person—at the parish, through the sacraments—but digital content can be the first step that brings people there,” he said.
The Lteif brothers also see their platform as a rapid-response network for communities in need. When a church in Syria was attacked recently, killing several people, they covered the story across their channels. “In three days, those videos brought 30 million views,” they said. “People wanted to help, to donate. This is why social media matters—you can tell the world about one incident of persecution and they will act.”
Their mission, they insist, goes beyond Christians. “When Christians in the Middle East are in peace, the whole Middle East will be in peace,” they said. “Look at history—we built schools, hospitals, the education sector. Once we are free to do that again, it benefits everyone.”
Father Esshaki knows that reality well from the Chaldean experience. “For the first time in our history, there are more Chaldeans outside Iraq than inside,” he said. “A lot of people want to leave, but our patriarch in Baghdad and our clergy are encouraging them to stay. I hope that those who want to remain have the stability and opportunities to do so.”
He recalled visiting Iraq in 2019 for the ordination of two bishops, including one in Mosul, years after ISIS had driven out all Christians. “It was a beautiful moment to see the Church reestablish itself there, to see the faith alive in a place that had suffered so much,” he said.
Both the Lteif brothers and Father Esshaki are deeply aware of the challenges facing Middle Eastern Christians, from emigration to instability. Yet both reject the narrative of inevitable decline.
“Our diaspora never wanted to leave Lebanon—they left to support their families,” the brothers said. “If it weren’t for them, Lebanon wouldn’t have recovered as quickly as it has. And I believe they will come back, because nothing is as beautiful as home.”
Father Esshaki sees hope in the resilience of communities that remain. “There are people starting businesses and building their lives again in northern Iraq,” he said. “It’s beautiful to witness, and I hope it continues.”
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We have superpowers if you think about it.
As the Jubilee ended, both voices converged in a call for courage. “Do not be afraid,” the Lteif brothers urged. “We are the children of the only true God, Jesus Christ. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We have superpowers if you think about it.”
Esshaki’s message was equally direct: “God loves you so much. You don’t have to go far to search for Him—He is with you, guiding you, and offering mercy. Accept Him as your Father and unite with others in the Church. That’s what we’re here for.”
