Matrimony and baptism: changing landscapes in Greek (Rum) Orthodox Jerusalem (1900–1940)

A shift in naming patterns among the Greek (Rum) Orthodox community in Jerusalem between 1900 and 1940 reveals two significant societal changes: secularization and the rise of Palestinian nationality. This finding, derived from previously unexamined archival records, challenges the assumption that proximity to holy sites significantly influences private Christian life. The study also highlights that modernity's impact was more pronounced in generational divides than ethnic differences, with younger generations embracing new professions and identities. By analyzing matrimony and baptism records, researchers traced these transformations during Jerusalem's transition from Ottoman rule to British Mandate.

Mack, M., Dalachanis, A., & Lemire, V. (2017). Matrimony and baptism: changing landscapes in Greek (Rum) Orthodox Jerusalem (1900–1940). British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 45(3), 443–463. https://doi.org/10.1080/13530194.2016.1273093