On June 22, press reports indicated that a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Mar Elias Church, in Dweil’a, on the outskirts of Damascus, as the believers were praying safely inside the church under the eyes of God, which caused an unspecified number of fatalities and casualties.

This evil act raised and atmosphere of awe, fear, apprehension, frustration, and despair among the Christian communities in various parts of the world. The Christian communities in the Middle East have all the time been peaceful, while regularly exuding feelings of respect and love to others with hopes that such attitudes would be reciprocated.

Reacting to this heinous crime, members of the Christian community in Syria have abstained from responding with hatred, they responded with unity and prayer. They returned to their church to honor the lives lost as a special prayer was offered by Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi, who is a powerful symbol of hope and resilience. So the question that arises is: Is the current situation of Christians across the region on the edge of a precipice at a time when they suffer from hardships caused by the ongoing conflicts and economic crises?

A relevant statement issued by the patriarchs and heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, states, "We, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, categorically condemn this heinous assault against our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and call upon the interim Syrian government to not only capture the escaped attackers and bring them to justice, but also to take extensive measures to protect the lives and religious freedoms of all Christians and other religious groups inside Syria.”

On the other hand, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land issued a statement noting, "There is no justification—religious, moral, or rational—for the slaughter of innocents, least of all in a sacred space. Such violence under the guise of faith is a grave perversion of all that is holy. This is an act of unspeakable evil—a crime against humanity and a sin before God. " The statement adds, "This attack is also a direct assault on the right to worship in peace and safety. As the Document on Human Fraternity (Abu Dhabi, 2019) affirms: 'The protection of places of worship—synagogues, churches and mosques—is a duty guaranteed by religions, human values, laws and international agreements. Every attempt to attack places of worship or threaten them by violent assaults, bombings or destruction, is a deviation from the teachings of religion'."

Reflecting on the terrorist operation, Regina Lynch, Executive President of ACN International, said: “We are deeply shocked by this tragic and senseless act of violence. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the entire Christian community in Syria. We stand in full solidarity with our brothers and sisters in faith, and we echo the urgent call of His Beatitude Patriarch John X to protect places of worship and to put an end any cycle of violence."

With this heinous attack, Catholic leaders and religious freedom advocates express concern for Christians in Syria as they point to a climate of worry and emigration and a lack of inclusion in the new political structure while attacks on minorities take place. Reacting to the prevalent situation, Bishop Hanna Jallouf said in an exclusive statement to Vatican media that" in the wake of this terrorist attack some 90 per cent of the people are seriously terrified and consider emigration."

The question that arises is what is the future of the Christians of the Middle East? Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Amman Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader had earlier reviewed the situation of Christians of the East. He says, "Throughout the past ages, Christians have been subjected to numerous harassments, including the scourge to which their societies were subjected to that snowballed into calamities and a sharp drop in their numbers. Yet, the Christians remain 'the light of the East' and 'the salt of Earth', according to the words of Lord Jesus Christ, as they remain distinguished by their sweet and nice fragrance, while maintaining their clear and venerable contributions in all fields." He adds, "The future is based on the continuous enhancement of the values of equality and citizenship; the future is based on promoting positive experience in our dear East, including the Jordanian experience in which Christians and Muslims work hand-in-hand as one family striving for the betterment of their shared community".

It is important to note Fr. Bader's relevant reaction as he said, "May God have mercy on the martyrs, namely a new group of martyrs and saints of Damascus. May God heal the wounded and console those who fear for Syria's future." Meanwhile, the CCSM hoped that through the intercession of the new martyrs of Damascus, the pure blood of the martyrs will give courage, strength, and determination to all Syrians so as to proceed with firm and confident steps toward a secure, prosperous, and inclusive future for all components of “wounded and beloved” Syria, according to the late Pope Francis.

Jordan: AUM undertakes a noble gesture towards students of Latin Patriarchate schools

‘Help us escape, we can't live here,’ pleads Damascus priest after deadly attack

Artificial Intelligence versus ethics

A reflection on Syria's affairs: Christians reciprocate "unspeakable evil" with prayer and forgiveness

The martyrs of Damascus, between yesterday and today