This work examines the legacy of the Russian Empire's activities in the Near East n the century before World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution. Motivated by feelings of kinship between Orthodox communities, the Russian Empire played a key role in the Eastern Mediterranean, from political matters such as the Crimean War and Greek Independence to ecclesial questions like supporting the birth of a native Arabic-speaking hierarchy for the Church of Antioch and the establishment of the Russian Ecclessiastical Mission in the Holy Land. The author shows that the deep historic and religious ties binding these regions together have not dissipated since that time, but continue to influence the Russian state's foreign policy to this day. AUTHOR: Najib Elias Saliba is Professor Emeritus of History and Political Science at Worcester State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern History from the University of Michigan. A native of Lebanon, Dr. Saliba maintains deep ties to the Levant, while making his home in Massachusetts.
