CMEP Calls for Protection of Syria’s Christian Communities following a suicide attack on the Church of the Prophet Elias in Damascus in Damascus

CMEP Calls for Protection of Syria’s Christian Communities following a suicide attack on the Church of the Prophet Elias in Damascus in Damascus

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) mourns the devastating suicide bombing that took place at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias in Damascus, Syria, on June 23, 2025. We stand in deep solidarity with Syria’s Christian community—our brothers and sisters in Christ—who have endured generations of hardship, especially over the past 14 years of war, displacement, and persecution.

We lift our prayers for the victims and their families, and for the safety of all Christians in Syria who, despite enormous challenges, continue to courageously keep the faith alive in the very land where Jesus walked. The presence of the Christian community is a sacred and vital part of Syria’s cultural and religious fabric. Christians and all minority groups must be protected.

CMEP calls on the United States and the international community to ensure that the Syrian transitional government is held accountable for the safety and security of all religious minorities, including Christians. These communities must be protected from threats by actors such as ISIS and other extremist groups, but also from internal threats, including militias and elements affiliated with the transitional government itself. Since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, there has been a troubling rise in intimidation, harassment, and violence against the Christian population. This injustice must end.

We urge swift action to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice. Furthermore, the full religious, cultural, and human rights of all Syrians must be protected and upheld equally. True peace and stability in Syria can only be achieved when every community is safe, free, and treated with dignity and respect.

Finally, we echo the statement issued by the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem which urges that all “leaders and people of goodwill to continue to denounce religious hatred, violence and degradation, while working to promote justice, peace, and reconciliation among people of any and all creeds and beliefs.”