Christian leaders in Syria are concerned over the advances of jihadist rebels in the country which include the takeover of the country’s second city, Aleppo.
Rebels have imposed a curfew on churches, and bishops of all denominations are calling for unity.
The United Nations says the fighting led by the terrorist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other armed factions, has engulfed parts of Aleppo, Idlib and Hama, destabilizing frontlines that had been in stalemate since 2020.
HTS is backed by Turkey and has operated under several names during the Syrian conflict, including “Jabhat al-Nusra,” and is an ideological offshoot of al-Qaeda.
On Sunday, during a bombing of the city of Aleppo, a bomb fell on the Franciscan complex of the Terra Santa College.
“Thanks to God, there were no fatalities or casualties, only the building was damaged. Our friars and the faithful of the parish are all well,” said Franciscan Father Francesco Patton, the Custos of the Holy Land.
“We are in constant contact with them from our Curia. For the time being they are informing us of the growing tension and fear of the civil population of Aleppo for the unforeseeable developments of the confrontation underway,” he said.
“We invite our friars, the Christians of the Holy Land and all the churches to join us in prayer for peace in Syria, martyrized by long years of war and violence. The word of God of this first Sunday of Advent invites us to keep hope alive for a prospect of peace. Let us take this exhortation and pray that it be achieved for our Syrian brothers and sisters,” Patton added.
In Defense of Christians (IDC), a U.S.-based advocacy organization for Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, says it “remains vigilant “for developments affecting Syrian Christians.
IDC’s issued a statement saying its contacts on the ground report that Christians have become the target of widespread crime and vandalism in Aleppo. Basic necessities—including food and medical care—are scarce and inaccessible.
“Thousands of Christians have fled the ancient city and are internally displaced. Christians who have remained in Aleppo live in significant fear, as violence against Christians may intensify rapidly. IDC will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the IDC said in a statement.
IDC executive director Richard Ghazal noted Syria is home to the world’s most ancient Christian communities, “who still live in trauma after over a decade of frequent occupations, and persistent persecution, by Islamist terror groups.”
“At a juncture in history when these Christian communities are on the brink of eradication, humanitarian response must be handled with the utmost urgency and human compassion,” Ghazal said.
“The United States and the international community must consider all means available to provide relief in mitigation of this humanitarian crisis. In the face of a human tragedy of this magnitude, humanitarian support should not be conditioned on a political litmus test,” he added.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters the international body “is alarmed” by the escalation of violence in the country.
“All parties must protect civilians and civilian objects, including by allowing safe passage to civilians fleeing hostilities,” Mr. Dujarric said.
