Christians in Syria form a minority group facing uncertainty. They worry about the ongoing instability and insecurity within the nation, as well as calls for responsibility from those in their community who backed the harsh rule of the Assad regime.

The recent
murders of Alawite civilians
In Syria’s coastal area, this situation has also raised concerns among the nation’s other religious minority groups.

On March 6, supporters of Syria’s former president, Bashar Assad, launched an assault on the newly formed interim government’s security forces. This incident sparked further conflict as additional security personnel and armed citizens converged on the coastal area, leading to indiscriminate attacks against members of the Alawite community. Numerous civilians were affected as a result.
killed
.

Although Christians did not face direct persecution during the unrest,
false reports
And the new government’s failure to step in and provide protection for these communities has been exacerbating local Christians’ fears since then.

Prior to the Syrian civil war, which lasted from 2011 until December 2024, Christians constituted approximately 10% of Syria’s populace. Following 14 years of conflict, there is no official statistics available regarding their current numbers.
still live
in the country today.

More than 11 distinct religious groups can be found here. Among them, the Greek Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic churches stand out as some of the biggest. The Melkite Greek Catholic Church maintains ties with the Vatican in Rome. Additionally, there is a smaller Protestant community which had approximately 300,000 adherents prior to 2011.

Uncertain future

Following the ousting of Assad on December 8, subsequent to an assault spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), numerous Christians have expressed concerns about “Islamization.” This was stated by Assaad Elias Kattan, a Syrian Orthodox theologian hailing from Lebanon but lecturing at Germany’s Münster University, during his conversation with SANGGRALOKA.

Even though the new administration led by Ahmad al-Sharaa has indicated that it upholds
Syria’s diversity
There is an element of “uncertainty” regarding its political agenda, he noted. “The current phase involves a disordered transition period. Beyond Damascus, the stability isn’t consistent, and it may require some time for law enforcement and military forces to restore public safety.”

And there have been individual cases
incidents
That appear to specifically target Christians. In December, a video revealed an individual with weapons demolishing a Christmas tree in Aleppo. Additionally, an armed faction assaulted the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Hama, resulting in damage to a cross and gunfire directed at the structure.

Subsequently, forces affiliated with the interim government led by HTS denounced the actions and attributed the assaults to “unidentified persons.”

Questionable role

Amidst such instability, Syria’s Christian community is likewise questioning the stance of their church leadership under the Assad regime, prompting discussions among Christians both within and beyond the nation’s borders.

In 2011, as protests against the former Syrian leader Bashar Assad began, numerous Christians participated in demonstrations demanding civil liberties. They have also been counted among both the casualties and those imprisoned during these events.
government’s interrogation facilities and prisons
.

Throughout the conflict, Christians had the freedom to practice their faith. However, those who criticized the Assad government faced persecution from the authorities, similar to what happened to the rest of Syria’s population.

On the contrary, many of their religious leaders aligned themselves with the government. The leadership of every Christian church backed the Assad administration’s story. This narrative portrayed the Assad regime as the guardian of minority communities within the nation, such as Christians. Frequently, the Assad regime contended that should opposition forces gain control, these minorities would face significant peril.

Bombs dropped on barrels over Aleppo, chemical weapon assaults, and the starvation of residents across entire neighborhoods along with countless individuals suffering in torture cells—Syrian church leaders have never voiced condemnation of any of these atrocities.

Certain Syrian religious authorities also disseminated this propaganda beyond their borders. Patriarch Gregory III Laham of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church stated to a German publication, the Berliner Zeitung, that Assad was “a victim of deliberate character assassination.”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

, in 2015.

Anger and disappointment

“Viewed from today’s standpoint, this is incredibly humiliating,” Kattan penned in an article for the Lebanese online publication.

Almodon

So when will the church leaders truly offer an apology to the Syrian people regarding their stance? Now, it falls upon them to reassess this era critically. They ought to openly acknowledge, ‘indeed, we erred.’

Kattan contended that nobody anticipated the bishops would openly challenge the Assad regime, yet a slightly greater detachment from this oppressive government would have been preferable.

“Numerous Syrian Christians both within the nation and those living abroad feel profound disappointment and anger towards their church leadership,” states Najib George Awad, a Syrian scholar specializing in theology at the University of Bonn. He explains, “The church leaders permitted themselves to serve as propaganda tools for the Assad government, thereby aiding in crafting a favorable impression among global audiences.” Awad, an advocate for the anti-government protests in Syria from the outset, shared these views with SANGGRALOKA.

“Active opposition figures could be found even among the clergy,” Hind Kabawat informed SANGGRALOKA. As the sole Christian representative on the committee that drafted Syria’s recent reforms, she shared this insight.
National Dialog Conference
Additionally, he serves as the director of the Syrian Centre for Dialogue, Peace, and Reconciliation based in Toronto, Canada.

She mentioned that alongside these individuals, there were priests who informed the secret service about Christian activists,” adding that “these priests bear responsibility for numerous fatalities.”

She contended that they must face accountability, similar to how other Syrians alleged to have committed crimes during the Assad regime are being held responsible.

The article was initially published in German.

Author: Claudia Mende