In Damascus, Patriarch of Antioch prays in church hit by terrorist attack

Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East. Photo: antiochpatriarchate.org

On June 23, 2025, Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East led a memorial prayer at St Elijah's Church in Damascus, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.

The day before, it suffered a terrorist attack: a ISIS-affiliated suicide bomber burst into the church during the evening service, opened fire on the worshippers, and then blew himself up. According to Reuters and AP News, at least 25 people were killed and more than 60 were injured in the attack.

The church was filled with believers gathered for prayer and condolences. During the service, the Easter "Christ is Risen" was sung in Greek, and the Patriarch offered words of support.

"Our hearts are bleeding. This is the pain of the entire Church – the pain of every mother, every child, every altar server who lost a brother or sister. They were not soldiers; they were worshippers. They were killed only because they were Orthodox Christians," said Patriarch John.

The service was also attended by Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church and Melkite Patriarch Joseph. After the service, they visited hospitals where they met with the injured. "We bring them not just words of comfort. We bring with us the power of prayer, blessings, and hope. Every wounded person is a living witness of faith. We must be by their side," noted the Patriarch.

The Patriarchate of Antioch issued an official statement calling for immediate mobilization by the international community.

"We demand that those responsible be found and punished. We will not accept silence or indifference. Today, Christ Himself was attacked in the person of His believers. We reject fear. We reject death. We proclaim life – and this life is given to us by the Risen Lord," emphasized John X. "Our church is destroyed, but our faith stands. Our walls are breached, but the Church is alive," he added.

The attack took place on a day when the memory of all the Saints of the Church of Antioch was celebrated. The Patriarch called it a sign: "Like them, these new martyrs confessed Christ to the very end. And if the life of the Church springs forth from their blood, then their suffering was not in vain."

The Church of St. Elijah, built in the 8th century and restored in the 19th, is one of the most important shrines of the Greek Orthodox community in the Syrian capital. It also serves as a gathering place and for festive services for Christians in the eastern part of Damascus.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Donald Trump expressed condolences to the victims of the terrorist attack in Syria.

Read also