Syrian Christians attended a Christmas Eve mass on Tuesday for the first time since President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, marking an early test of the new Islamist rulers’ pledge to protect minority rights. The service was held under tight security due to concerns about violence against Christian sites.
At Lady of Damascus Church in Syria’s capital, hundreds gathered for a mixed congregation ceremony with candles and hymns filling the air. Protests had taken place earlier in the day, with protesters denouncing an incident where a Christmas tree was burned in northern Hama governorate.
Defacto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa has promised Christians that they will be safe under his rule’s Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). However, many remain unconvinced after several incidents targeting Christians since the regime change. These include a December 18 attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Hama and reports of jihadist songs being blasted in predominantly Christian neighborhoods.
The turnout at the Christmas mass was seen as a positive sign for minority rights under the new government.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrian-christians-attend-christmas-mass-first-time-since-fall-assad-2024-12-24