One year has passed since the devastating terrorist attack on the Church of the Prophet Elias in the Dweilaa district of Damascus, an assault that shocked Syria and the international community and left at least 25 people dead and dozens injured.
The attack, which took place on June 22, 2025, was the first suicide bombing in the Syrian capital following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024. Syrian authorities attributed the attack to the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh).
According to official reports, the attacker entered the church while worshippers were gathered for prayer, opened fire on the faithful, and then detonated an explosive belt, causing extensive casualties and destruction inside the sanctuary.
The terrorist attack prompted widespread international condemnation. The United Nations, the United States, France, Greece, and numerous other countries denounced the assault and called on Syria’s new authorities to ensure the protection of the country’s religious and ethnic minorities during the ongoing transitional period.
Although the self-proclaimed Islamic State lost control of its territorial “caliphate” in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, extremist cells continue to operate, particularly in Syria’s vast desert regions. Just months before the church bombing, ISIS had claimed responsibility for attacks targeting Syria’s new de facto authorities.
Patriarchate of Antioch Calls for Protection of Syria’s Christians
In its first statement following the tragedy, the Patriarchate of Antioch described the bombing as a heinous terrorist act targeting innocent worshippers inside the house of God. The Patriarchate strongly condemned the crime and urged the authorities to assume full responsibility for protecting all citizens, regardless of their religious or ethnic background, and to take the necessary measures to prevent similar attacks in the future.
The Patriarchate also called for an end to bloodshed and all forms of violence that continue to affect the Syrian people and threaten the peaceful coexistence of the country’s communities.
On June 24, 2025, Patriarch John X of Antioch presided over the funeral service and memorial prayers for the victims at the Church of the Holy Cross in the Kassaa district of Damascus. Following the service, the bodies of the victims were transferred to St. Elias Church in Dweilaa, where additional prayers were offered before their final burial.
Patriarch John X Visits the Church under Restoration
Several months later, on November 18, 2025, Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East visited St. Elias Church to inspect the restoration works that had begun after the bombing. During his visit, he expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to rebuilding the church and emphasized that the restoration of the sacred site stands as a symbol of hope, perseverance, and renewal for the local Christian community.
The Patriarch stressed that St. Elias Church would continue to serve as a place of prayer, witness, and spiritual unity for the faithful of Damascus, despite the suffering endured by the community.
As Syria marks the first anniversary of the attack, the memory of the victims remains alive, while the restored church stands as a testimony to the resilience of the Christian presence in the country and to the determination of its faithful to overcome violence through faith and hope.
