22 Christians Killed while Praying in Damascus Church Bombing
On Sunday, 22 Christians in Syria were killed after a suicide bomber interrupted a prayer meeting at a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria. The attacker, affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), detonated an explosive vest after opening fire on a prayer meeting of around 350 people at Mar Elias Church, according to the Syrian Interior Ministry. In addition to those killed, 63 others were wounded and were receiving treatment at a local hospital in Damascus.
Eyewitnesses Describe Horror Inside the Church
"Someone entered (the church) from outside carrying a weapon" and began shooting, witness Lawrence Maamar told news agency AFP.
People "tried to stop him before he blew himself up," he added.
Another witness, who was outside the church when the incident took place, told the outlet he heard gunfire followed by an explosion.
"We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance," he said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to Reuters, a security source said two men carried out the attack.
During prayer at the church, Issam Nasr said he saw people "blown to bits."
"We have never held a knife in our lives. All we ever carried were our prayers," he said.
Governments and Ministries Respond to Ongoing Persecution
Greek Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and urged the government to do more to protect Christians and other religious groups.
"We unequivocally condemn the abhorrent terrorist suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria," it said in a statement.
"We demand that the Syrian transitional authorities take immediate action to hold those involved accountable and implement measures to guarantee the safety of Christian communities and all religious groups, allowing them to live without fear," the ministry added.
Since taking over from Assad in January, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country's interim president, has made numerous pledges to safeguard religious and ethnic minorities. But according to the nation's officials, ISIS wants to cause instability in the area amid a critical transition in their country.
As reported by CBN News, ISIS has previously attacked Christians and other religious minorities in Syria, but that the attack on the church was the first of its kind in the nation in years.
In February, the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism warned in a report that ISIS would attempt to capitalize on the leadership transition in Syria by increasing terror attacks and renewing its recruiting efforts for foreign fighters.
"There is a risk that stockpiles of advanced weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists," said Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, head of the counter-terrorism office.
According to persecution watchdog Open Doors USA, Syria comes at number 18 on its list of 50 countries where Christian persecution is most rampant.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Ali Haj Suleiman/Stringer
Originally published June 24, 2025.
