Ishtartv.com - syriacpress.com

 21/07/2025

ÖREBRO, Sweden — Religious and cultural institutions representing the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community held a protest rally in Örebro, Sweden, denouncing the recent attack on the Mar Elias Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Church in Daramsuq (Damascus), Syria.

The protest, held in Olaf Palme Square, gathered members of the community who condemned the ongoing violence against Christians in Syria and called for Christians to be granted the right to manage their own affairs and protect their territories within the country.

The rally began at 2:00 PM yesterday with a moment of silence in honor of those martyred in church attacks. Participants chanted slogans such as “Martyrs Do Not Die” as they held banners denouncing persecution.

Speaking on behalf of the Virgin Mary Church, Cornelia Sander emphasized the urgent need for Western governments to support persecuted Christians in the Middle East. She shared her impressions from a recent visit to Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia), where she witnessed the challenges facing Christian communities firsthand.

Following a spiritual hymn, Syriac politician Bahjat Barsom addressed the crowd, denouncing violations against Christians in Syria and criticizing the West for its failure to take concrete action. His speech was followed by another hymn that further underscored the solemn and spiritual tone of the event.

Jacob Mirza, representing the European Syriac Union (ESU), delivered a powerful message condemning the terrorist attack on Mar Elias Church. He highlighted recent massacres targeting the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and called on Church leaders, patriarchs, political parties, and Christian organizations to unite in defending the remaining Christian communities in Syria.

Mirza also reiterated the demand that Christians be granted full authority to govern and defend their ancestral regions.

The protest concluded with remarks from Father Yakub Qas Elias, priest of the Virgin Mary Church in Örebro, who urged European governments to take a stronger stance in defending Christian rights and causes in the Middle East. He expressed deep gratitude to all those who contributed to organizing the event and showing solidarity.