A deadly suicide bombing struck a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus on Sunday, killing at least 30 people and injuring 90 others during evening Mass.
The attack targeted the Church of St. Elias in the Douweila neighborhood, a monastic complex built in 1990 that also serves as a school and hostel for pilgrims.
According to local sources cited by Vatican’s Fides News Agency, gunmen opened fire from outside before at least two suicide bombers entered through a rear door and detonated explosive belts near the altar.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, led by Patriarch Yohanna X, expressed deep grief over the attack, which took place on the day the Church commemorated all Antiochian saints. The Patriarchate described the victims as martyrs and called on Syrian authorities to protect places of worship and all citizens.
Among those killed were Geryes and Botros El Bechara, who attempted to stop one of the attackers. Geryes’ widow, Laure al Nasr, recounted how the two men intervened before the assailant detonated his bomb, killing them and several relatives.
Government officials blamed remnants of the so-called Islamic State, calling the bombing a desperate attempt to destabilize the country. Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine Al-Baba vowed that those responsible would be held accountable.
This is the first major suicide bombing in the capital since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the rise to power of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Ahmad al-Sharaa. A security source confirmed that two assailants were involved, one of whom blew himself up inside the church.
A diplomatic source in Damascus described the attack as horrifying but unsurprising, citing the deteriorating security situation. Untrained former militia members now enforce law and order, while Islamist groups have taken advantage of regional instability to regroup and strike.
The source warned that Christians—like other religious minorities—are increasingly vulnerable and neglected by both the Syrian government and the international community.
Despite official claims that Syria is safe for returning refugees, Sunday’s attack, which left children among the wounded, starkly contradicts those assurances and highlights the ongoing threat faced by the country’s Christian population.
