June 22, 2025 | New York, NY — The Orthodox Public Affairs Committee (OPAC) has issued a forceful condemnation following a devastating terrorist attack on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, describing the act as a “barbaric” assault on Syria’s Christian community and an affront to basic human dignity.
At least 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured when an ISIS militant stormed the historic church in the Dweila neighborhood on Sunday, opening fire on worshippers before detonating an explosive vest in the middle of the congregation. The suicide bombing, which targeted civilians gathered for worship, is one of the deadliest attacks on Christians in Syria in recent years.
In a statement released Monday, OPAC decried the attack as “not merely an act of violence—it was an assault on faith, dignity, and the very fabric of Syria’s Christian community.” The organization emphasized the fundamental right of all people to worship freely and safely, regardless of faith.
“This atrocity is the latest in a shameful pattern of targeted violence against Christians in the region, and it must not be tolerated,” the statement read. “The Christian faithful in Syria—whose roots in the land date back over two millennia—deserve more than sympathy. They deserve safety, justice, and the unambiguous protection of the Syrian state.”
OPAC called on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to uphold his government’s stated commitment to protect Christian communities, stressing that “words are not enough” and that “the time for decisive action is now.”
The group also urged Syria’s transitional authorities and international partners to act swiftly in bringing the perpetrators—and anyone who enabled them—to justice, declaring that “this heinous crime must not go unanswered.”
Expressing solidarity with the families of the victims and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, OPAC reaffirmed its support for all Christians in the region living under the threat of persecution.
For more information, visit: www.OrthodoxPac.org
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