At least 22 people were killed and more than 60 injured when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Elias in central Damascus on Sunday evening, during a packed liturgy.
The attack marks Syria’s deadliest strike on a Christian place of worship in years and signals a resurgence of extremist violence in the capital.
According to Syrian authorities, the attacker entered the church in the Dweila district just after the evening service began, opened fire on worshippers, and then triggered an explosive device near the church’s entrance.
Local residents and medical workers described scenes of panic and devastation, with bodies pulled from rubble and parishioners screaming for loved ones.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility, according to security officials, making this the first suicide bombing targeting a church in Damascus since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government late last year.
Shock and condemnation
Church leaders swiftly condemned the attack. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, whose members were gathered at St. Elias to celebrate the Feast of All Antiochian Saints, called it a “heinous crime” and demanded that authorities “assume full responsibility” for the security of Christian sites.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Catholic charity supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with Syria’s Christian minority.
“We are deeply shocked by this senseless act of violence,” said Regina Lynch, ACN’s Executive President. “We stand in full solidarity with our brothers and sisters in faith, and echo Patriarch John X’s call to end this cycle of terror.”
ACN has long partnered with the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch in Syria, supporting both humanitarian and pastoral efforts. In the wake of the bombing, the charity is urging the international community to do more to ensure the protection of religious minorities in the Middle East. (You can donate here.)
A community in mourning
Sunday’s attack took place in one of Damascus’s few remaining strongholds of Christian life. St. Elias Church was filled with families, including children, when the bombing occurred. Rescue teams continued to search through debris late into the night.
This bombing comes amid a fragile and uncertain transition in Syria, where government control has shifted and security vacuums remain. Analysts warn that Christian communities, already decimated by war and displacement, remain vulnerable to sectarian violence.
Patriarch John X has called for prayer, unity, and decisive action from national and global leaders.
“We pray for the repose of the souls of the martyrs, for the healing of the wounded, and for the comfort of our people,” the Patriarchate stated, “but we also demand real protection and a halt to these massacres.”
The attack is a grim reminder of the precarious position Christians continue to face in Syria.
