Syrian Christians Fear Dark Future Under Al-Sharaa Despite Christmas Celebrations And Washington Breakthrough (Worthy News In-Depth)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

DAMASCUS (Worthy News) – Despite Christmas approaching, many Christians in Syria aren’t in a celebratory mood one year after the toppling of longtime autocratic President Bashar al-Assad, investigations reveal.

While crowds were seen in the streets of Damascus in mass joy accompanied by fireworks, festive music, and the new national flag, “the reality is still grim today for many Syrians living in post-Assad Syria,” noted advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC) in a new assessment.

“Despite lip service to the importance of inclusion, democracy, and individual freedoms, progress on those fronts has been slow and halting during the last 12 months under new President Ahmed al-Sharaa,” ICC commented.

“Christians have faced a deadly wave of violence throughout 2025. The most harrowing example came on June 22, when a suicide bomber attacked Mar Elias Church in Damascus: after opening fire on congregants during Divine Liturgy, he detonated an explosive vest inside the church, killing at least 22 worshippers and injuring dozens more,” ICC recalled.

MINORITIES TARGETED IN MASS KILLINGS

“Ethnoreligious minorities have been particularly targeted in recent months, with large-scale massacres killing hundreds of Druzes and Alawites in cities with large minority populations, such as Homs.”

The church massacre — the first major church bombing in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad last December — sent shockwaves through Syria’s Christian community, Worthy News reported at the time.

ICC said it has renewed fears that places of worship are no longer safe, even under the new government.

The Syriac Strategic Research Center (SSRC) confirmed that the church attack was not an isolated incident. Its report documented dozens of smaller-scale but still violent events — including vandalism of churches, desecration of cemeteries, forced displacement of Christian families, and “threats and intimidation” — across regions such as Hama, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Suwayda.

CROSSES TORN DOWN, FAMILIES FLEEING

“Churches have had crosses knocked down, icons destroyed, and Christian cemeteries violated. As a result of rising insecurity, many Christian families report feeling unsafe,” ICC investigators said.

Video footage reviewed by Worthy News appears to support this assessment. This week Christians were reportedly harassed by Islamists at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Dweila, a Christian neighborhood of Damascus not far from this year’s church massacre. Islamists displayed Islamic State group, or ISIS, symbols and hurled threats as Christian families ran for safety, according to the footage.

“Although the new administration under Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to protect minorities and restore a sense of normalcy, these incidents — especially the church bombing — lay bare the fragility of those guarantees,” ICC said. “In the face of such violence, for many Syrian Christians, the hope of a stable post-Assad era has become overshadowed by fear, grief, and uncertainty about whether they will ever truly be safe,” the group stressed.

Christians note that al-Sharaa is moving toward a system that grants the central government significant authority while most Syrians have little say. They say Syria is shifting toward a federated structure in which local areas retain robust self-determination and the right to organize their own security.

“The country’s recent election did not solicit votes directly from the public; instead, it turned to local councils chosen by regional electoral bodies. A direct public vote was deemed logistically impossible at the current time, with many citizens displaced and without proper identification after decades of civil war,” ICC explained.

DISPUTED ELECTION PROCESS SEEN

One hundred and nineteen new parliamentarians were announced after voting in October. An additional 21 seats were not voted on because they represent areas not currently under government control, and the remaining 70 seats in the 210-member parliament will be appointed directly by al-Sharaa.

ICC cautioned that “only six seats went to women, and fewer than a dozen went to members of religious and ethnic minority communities,” including Christians.

“The overwhelming majority of those elected belong to the dominant Sunni majority, leading to concerns that the new parliament may usher in an era marked by Sunni nationalism. Only a single Christian was elected, according to media reports.”

While Christians are primarily concentrated in cities such as Damascus and Aleppo, these areas apparently did not choose a Christian representative, raising concerns about how the elections were conducted.

“Observers both within the country and internationally are eagerly awaiting President al-Sharaa’s 70 parliamentary appointments, originally scheduled to be announced in mid- to late October. However, the original deadline has passed without any appointments,” ICC said.

APPOINTMENTS DELAYED AMID RISING TENSIONS

Syrian government officials told Worthy News that the appointments would aim to address “imbalances” in the election results. “Whether the appointments make good on that promise or double down on the Sunni majority already in place remains to be seen.”

Despite Christian concerns at home, Ahmed al-Sharaa was in Washington, D.C., last month to meet U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

Until days before the visit, al-Sharaa had been on a U.S. “terrorist list” — designated a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” and carrying a $10 million U.S. bounty for information leading to his capture. On November 8, 2025, the U.S. formally removed the designation ahead of the Washington talks.

Trump even shared a lighthearted moment with Al-Sharaa, offering the former rebel leader his favorite Trump-branded cologne. Trump sprayed Al-Sharaa with the fragrance and then joked about the Syrian leader’s family life, according to a video circulating from the meeting.

“How many wives? One?” Trump asked. Al-Sharaa laughed and confirmed he had only one wife. “With you guys, I never know,” Trump replied, slapping his shoulder.

WORLD WATCH LIST RANKING

Yet life looks far less rosy for Christians back in Syria, which ranks 12th on the Open Doors World Watch List of the most dangerous countries in which to be a Christian.

The nation’s high placement reflects a combination of extreme Islamic oppression, the resurgence of militant factions, and the collapse of state security structures that once offered at least basic protection for religious minorities, according to Christian analysts.

Advocacy group Open Doors says Christians in Syria face violent attacks, discrimination in public life, pressure to convert, kidnapping by armed groups, and destruction of churches and property.

The organization warns that unless significant reforms take hold, the situation for believers will likely deteriorate further in the coming year.

CHRISTIAN EXODUS INTENSIFIES

Before Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011, Christians made up roughly 10 percent of the population, with estimates ranging from 1.5 million to 2.2 million believers nationwide.

Fourteen years of war, Islamist extremism, targeted attacks on churches, economic collapse, and widespread displacement later, the Christian population has dwindled to at most a few hundred thousand, according to multiple estimates.

While exact figures are difficult to verify, well-informed Christian sources estimate that possibly up to 80 percent of Syria’s Christians have fled their homes since the war began.

Many sought refuge in Europe, North America, Lebanon, and other Middle Eastern countries, often after facing violence, targeted threats, or the destruction of their neighborhoods and churches.

Christian analysts warn that without significant improvements in security and religious freedom, the exodus may continue — pushing one of the world’s oldest Christian communities toward potential extinction in its historic homeland.

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