People hold prayers during a vigil for the victims of a suicide bombing at Mar Elias Church on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, 23 June 2025. The attack on June 22 killed at least 20 and injured over 30 others. Syrian authorities said the suicide bomber was affiliated with the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS) terrorist organization. [EPA]

Ishtartv.com - ekathimerini.com

Stavros Tzimas

24.06.2025 

Christian communities in Damascus gathered in mourning Monday after a deadly suicide bombing at the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church left at least 30 dead and more than 50 injured. Priests from Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches held joint prayers at the devastated site.

The ecumenical patriarch condemned the attack, urging Syrian authorities to protect Christian minorities. Patriarchates across the region echoed calls for safeguarding worshippers. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Konstantinos Tasoulas expressed outrage and sympathy.

Diplomatic sources in Damascus identified the bombers as Uzbek defectors from foreign Islamist factions, raising concerns over the lingering threat of radicalized fighters in Syria. Western diplomats interpreted the attack as a sign ISIS remains capable of destabilizing the region and challenging the authority of Islamist factions currently aligned with Damascus.

The attack shattered the fragile sense of security for Christians in Syria, reigniting fears of religiously motivated violence amid ongoing regional turmoil.