Greeks in Saudi Arabia
Encyclopedia
The Greek presence in Saudi Arabia predates the formation of both the Greek
and Saudi
states. It is mainly concentrated in the Hejaz
region, bordering the Red Sea
and centered around the city of Jeddah
. In addition to the old immigrant community there have been new arrivals in the 20th century, drawn by employment prospects in the regions successful oil industry.
Many Greeks
and Italians have been living in Jeddah City, the main port of Hejaz on the Red Sea
(Western modern Saudi Arabia
). A famous merchant in the beginning of the 20th century was Aquily Yenni Christos (AKA. Khawaja Yenni). Yenni had a famous grocery store at Qabil Avenue (the main commercial street in the early decades of 1900s). Yenni lived and died in Jeddah. His daughter was born in Jeddah as well, she married the son of an Italian-Jew merchant, Marco, who had a neighboring store in Souq Al-Qasbah/Old Jeddah for selling fabrics and textiles.
Yenni is a much respected character in the Jeddawi memory. A novel by Mohammed sadiq Diab, is soon to be published narrating the story of his biography in Jeddah. It will carry the name of (Khawaja Yenni).
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Saudi
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
states. It is mainly concentrated in the Hejaz
Hejaz
al-Hejaz, also Hijaz is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia. Defined primarily by its western border on the Red Sea, it extends from Haql on the Gulf of Aqaba to Jizan. Its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better known for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina...
region, bordering the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
and centered around the city of Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
. In addition to the old immigrant community there have been new arrivals in the 20th century, drawn by employment prospects in the regions successful oil industry.
Many Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
and Italians have been living in Jeddah City, the main port of Hejaz on the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
(Western modern Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
). A famous merchant in the beginning of the 20th century was Aquily Yenni Christos (AKA. Khawaja Yenni). Yenni had a famous grocery store at Qabil Avenue (the main commercial street in the early decades of 1900s). Yenni lived and died in Jeddah. His daughter was born in Jeddah as well, she married the son of an Italian-Jew merchant, Marco, who had a neighboring store in Souq Al-Qasbah/Old Jeddah for selling fabrics and textiles.
Yenni is a much respected character in the Jeddawi memory. A novel by Mohammed sadiq Diab, is soon to be published narrating the story of his biography in Jeddah. It will carry the name of (Khawaja Yenni).