“Two young men stormed into the church during Mass shouting ‘Allah Akbar’. One of them opened fire on the parishioners while the other, who was wearing an explosive belt, blew himself up,” said Monsignor Hanna Jallouf, at the helm of the Latin Rite Catholic community in Syria. Speaking to SIR, he shared his account of the massacre perpetrated on Monday afternoon at the Greek Catholic church of Mar Elias in Damascus’ Dwela district. The attack left at least 20 people dead and over 60 wounded, many of them severely. The vicar estimated that around 350 people were in the church at the time of the attack.
“This was not an attack on Christians, but on all Syrians, Muslims and non-Muslims alike,” remarked the Apostolic vicar. “It was an attempt to destabilise the country as it tries to recover in the aftermath of years of war.”
Even Syria’s new Islamist government blamed ISIS for the massacre, while the Orthodox Patriarchate of Damascus called on the recently installed authorities to “take full responsibility” for the attack.” In a statement, the Patriarchate said that “the government is doing nothing to ensure the inviolability of the sanctity of churches and the protection of all citizens”. Monsignor Jallouf told SIR that he requested increased protection for churches and places of worship. “People are afraid of new attacks – he told SIR – increased vigilance is seen as a way to prevent them.” The Apostolic Vicariate sent a message of condolences and sympathy to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, condemning the terrorist attack “against innocent civilians and worshippers praying in the house of God”, reiterating “the government’s obligation to protect citizens and ensure their safety, particularly during religious services.” Father Ibrahim Alsabagh, a native of Damascus who is now serving as a parish priest in Nazareth, described the attack as setting a “dangerous precedent for the country.” “I am grateful to all those who have expressed concern for my family in Damascus following the attack on St Elias Greek Orthodox Church,” he wrote in a message shared with SIR. He added details about the attack: “The two terrorists entered and opened fire, first on children playing in the church courtyard, then on the faithful gathered inside. One of the attackers blew himself up inside the church. My family is safe, but many people have been killed and wounded. May God protect everyone, heal the wounded, and grant us his protection through the intercession of the new martyrs.”
Reactions: The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned “the attack against the Christian community” as a “desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destablise the country.” A “treacherous attack” that aimed to “sow chaos” in Syrian society, the Turkish government, which backs interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, declared in a note. “We firmly believe that the Syrian government and its people will remain united and resolute in their fight against terrorist organisations attempting to destabilise the country,” reads the statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry. France likewise condemned the attack in strong terms, as did the United Nations. Geir O. Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, expressed his “outrage at the attack” and called on the Syrian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation. “I stand with the families of the victims. Once again, the Christian community has been brutally targeted by extremism and religious intolerance,” said Lorenzo Fontana, President of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies. He added: “Events such as this underscore the urgent need to raise awareness and intensify global efforts to protect the millions of Christians who are persecuted around the world.”
