TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

Syrian church leaders have advised Christians to scale back Christmas celebrations this year, despite assurances from the newly empowered Islamist group that religious freedom will be respected.

On December 18, a Greek Orthodox church in Hama was attacked by unidentified gunmen. The assailants entered the church compound, attempted to destroy a cross, and damaged headstones in a nearby cemetery.

In Damascus, residents of Bab Touma, a predominantly Christian neighbourhood, were unsettled by SUVs driving through the area playing Islamic songs at high volume.

The Iraqi Christian Foundation has reported that Christians in Maaloula, an ancient town in southwestern Syria where Aramaic is still spoken, are being threatened with expulsion by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group. The organization described this as an act of ethnic cleansing.

Rights activists have also raised concerns about the lack of internet access and communication in Maaloula, warning of a potential massacre in this historically significant Christian town.

The Iraqi Christian Foundation, which advocates for Christian rights in West Asia and provides aid to Christian genocide victims in Iraq and Syria, shared this information on social media, calling for prayers for Syrian Christians.

Orthodox Christmas is 7 January, 2025.