As Christmas approaches, Syria’s Christian community is grappling with heightened fear and uncertainty, despite assurances from the newly empowered Islamist faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), that they are free to practice their faith. Church leaders have advised Christians to scale back their festive celebrations, underscoring the deep mistrust that persists after more than a decade of brutal conflict and a history of religious repression.
HTS, a group that evolved from al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, is now a significant political force in Syria’s northwest, and its de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has attempted to present a more moderate face to the international community. Sharaa, who once led the Sunni jihadist faction, has sought to reassure Syria’s religious minorities, particularly Christians, by claiming that under HTS rule, they will be safe. His statements, which include assurances that HTS will not seek revenge against the Alawite sect (to which former President Bashar al-Assad belongs) or any other religious minority, have been welcomed by some but remain unconvincing to many.
Despite these assurances, fear runs deep in the Christian community, which has faced years of persecution, displacement, and violence. Christians, along with other religious minorities, have long been traumatized by the civil war and the shifting allegiances of armed groups. On December 18, a violent incident occurred in the city of Hama, where unidentified gunmen opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church, tried to destroy a cross, and vandalized a cemetery. This attack is just the latest in a series of troubling events that have left Christians uneasy.
Further unsettling Christians in the capital, Damascus, were reports of armed men driving through Bab Touma, a predominantly Christian neighborhood, blasting jihadist songs. A photo that surfaced on social media depicted an armored vehicle with a threatening message aimed at Christians, reading: “Your day is coming, Oh worshippers of the cross.” The incident prompted swift action from HTS, which forced the vehicle’s driver to apologize and ordered the removal of the threatening message. Nonetheless, the Christian community remains on edge, unsure of HTS’s true intentions.
Christian leaders such as Bishop Andrew Bahhi of St. George’s Syriac Orthodox Church in Damascus have urged caution. “The community is watching to see if the groups currently in power are genuinely committed to establishing a civil society that offers equal opportunities for all,” Bahhi stated. While HTS acted quickly in response to the Hama attack, it is unclear whether such actions reflect a genuine commitment to protecting Syria’s Christian community or merely an effort to placate international observers.
In the face of these tensions, many Christians have been advised to limit their public celebrations. Bishop Bahhi, recognizing the challenges posed by the changing political landscape, has advised young people to dress modestly, avoid public displays of Christmas imagery, and keep festive activities confined to church premises. The sight of armed men patrolling the streets of Damascus, many sporting long beards, only deepens the community’s anxiety.
The scars of Syria’s civil war are felt acutely by families like that of Emilia Katarina, a Christian mother who lost both her son and husband to the violence. Her son, Firas Azar, was detained by Assad’s forces in 2012, and two years later, a rebel group’s artillery attack killed her husband and injured her. Katarina, who still clings to a portrait of her husband and a photograph of her son, struggles with profound fear. “Whenever I hear a sound at night, I jump. Fear is deeply ingrained in us,” she said. Her daughter echoed these fears, stating, “We are afraid of this ideology.”
While HTS representatives have met with Christian leaders, including Bahhi, and reassured them not to fear, there remains a significant gap in trust. “How truthful and serious [they are]?” Bahhi asks, reflecting the community’s skepticism. Even if trust is built with HTS, the presence of other armed Islamist factions complicates the situation, adding further uncertainty to an already fragile environment.
As Christians in Syria prepare for Christmas, the holiday season, once a time of joy, has become a symbol of the deepening anxiety and suspicion that marks their existence under a new Islamist rule. For many, the fear of what lies ahead remains as persistent as the war scars that have shaped their lives over the past 13 years. In the silence of a church, where tears stream down Emilia Katarina’s face as she prays for her lost son, the plea for peace and safety remains a powerful, though uncertain, hope.
