The Pope has summoned his envoys to discuss the crisis facing the Church in that region, including the threat from Islamic State (IS).
The three-day meeting will include prayer and conversations on how to find a way forward with the crisis.
Pope Francis said he wanted the event in Rome to show solidarity with Christians in the Middle East.
Thousands of Christians have been forced from their homes in Iraq and Syria because of the threat from extremist Muslims.
The Apostolic nuncios to Syria, Jordan-Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Israel-Palestine, Egypt and Turkey are all present.
Vatican spokesman Fr Lombardi said the meeting was "an expression of the Holy Father's closeness and solicitude for this important issue".
He added: "He himself wanted to introduce the work of the meeting, thanking the participants gathered to pray and reflect together on what to do to meet the dramatic situation of Christians living in the Middle East and other religious and ethnic minorities who are suffering because of the violence raging throughout the region."