In the midst of the civil war, churches and Christian-owned businesses have been targets of bombings by the Islamic State and other extremist groups, and there have been many reports of Christians being abducted, harmed and killed. Even so, many of Syria’s remaining Christians are committed to staying and rebuilding their country. Others are now returning home following IS’s military defeat.
Syrian militants held for Maaloula nuns’ kidnap
Two Syrians have been charged in Lebanon for taking part in the kidnapping three years ago of nuns from the Syrian historic town of Maaloula, close to the Lebanese border, 60km north-east of Damascus. Amer and Thaer Miskaf were described as militants of the Nusra Front, an Islamic jihadist group […]
Video: Aleppo youth fill church on World Youth Day
Young people in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo filled a church for their own ‘mini Youth Day’ as the Pope celebrated the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day during his visit to Poland last week. The eastern part of the city, which has been held by opposition forces, is currently […]
Attack badly damages church in northeast Syria
An Assyrian Orthodox church was attacked Monday in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli, resulting in extensive damage to its interior, local sources said. “Anonymous gunmen stormed the St. Charnel Church for Assyrian Orthodox in the Watwatiyah district of Qamishli in the midnight on Monday, and destroyed its contents,” a […]
Attempt on Syriac Patriarch commemorating genocide
As Christians were celebrating Pentecost in Qamishli, Syria, a suicide bomber disguised as a priest struck, killing three Assyrians and wounding five others. The Sunday attack on 19 June was apparently targeting Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, and was reminiscent of another nearly a century ago which killed the […]
Syrian priest: ‘No words to describe the suffering’
Amid the worst violence since the Syrian conflict began more than five years ago, a local Syrian Catholic Archbishop has joined in raising attention to the situation facing Christians in the city of Aleppo. “More than half the city’s population left over the last four or five years,” Jean-Clement Jeanbart, Melkite […]
Aleppo Christian areas shelled, scores casualties
Despite a fragile truce helped by both US and Russian efforts, at least 19 people have been killed and scores injured this week in continued shelling in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. Coinciding with the 101st anniversary of the Turkish genocide of Armenians and other Christians, areas of notable […]
Church names 21 Christians IS killed in Qaryatain
The Syriac Orthodox Church has published names of the 21 Christians it said were killed by the ‘Islamic State’ during its 8 month occupation of the Syrian town of al-Qaryatain. IS had captured the town (92 km southeast of Homs) in August 2015, before it was recaptured by the Syrian […]
Demonstration remembers kidnapped Aleppo Bishops
The kidnapped Aleppo Bishops, Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazigi, were last seen three years ago this week. A multi-faith demonstration to remember them was held in Beirut, Lebanon 19 April, . There has been no news of the two men since their abduction on 22 April 2013, near the Turkish […]
Patriarch in ‘freed’ Syrian town: ‘IS killed 21’
A visit by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch to the Syrian town of Qaryatain has shed light on on the town, . Twenty-one Christians were murdered and another 300 Christians remained in the town after IS over-ran it in August 2015, . The Syriac Orthodox Patriarch said some died while trying […]
ISIS loses Syrian town with Christian legacy
The Syrian government has claimed victory over the Islamic State in Qaryatain, a Syrian town with a notable Christian presence. “Army units, backed by the Syrian and Russian Air Forces, restored security to Qaryatain and the farms surrounding it in south-eastern Homs,” . Islamic State’s apparent loss of Qaryatain comes […]