Christmas Season Marked by Remembrance as Families of Mar Elias Church Bombing Victims Honor Their Loved Ones in Damascus

Welat TV – Erbil

On Tuesday evening, Mar Elias Church in the Duwail’a neighborhood of Damascus commemorated the victims of last summer’s suicide bombing with a special ceremony, during which photographs of those killed were placed on the church’s Christmas tree in a symbolic gesture to honor their memory.

The event was attended by families of the victims and members of the congregation, alongside performances by church-affiliated scout bands. The Christmas tree, adorned with images of the victims, was lit, and candles were also lit inside the church.

A Message of Faith and Hope

Father Yohanna Shahadeh, priest of Mar Elias Church, said that decorating the Christmas tree with the victims’ photos was an expression of faith and hope despite profound pain. He explained that the initiative was carried out with the blessing of Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East of the Greek Orthodox Church, and was implemented over several days by members of the parish. He described it as a message addressed to the victims’ families, the local community, and the wider world.

Testimonies from the Victims’ Families

Jenny al-Haddad, the daughter of one of the bombing victims, spoke of mixed feelings of grief and love, noting that lighting the tree at the very site of the attack represents a revival of the victims’ memory in people’s hearts before the place itself. She emphasized that faith gives families the strength to hold on to hope despite their loss.

A Scout-Led Initiative

The Mar Elias Church Scouts organized the lighting of the tree. Deputy Scout Leader Rabee Kanhoosh said the timing of the event coincided with the six-month anniversary of the bombing, explaining that the initiative aimed to create a symbolic activity reflecting the continued presence of the victims in the collective memory of the church community.

Mar Elias Church was targeted by a suicide bombing last June, killing 25 people and injuring 63 others, according to the final toll released by Syria’s Ministry of Health.

The commemoration comes amid growing concern among Syrian Christians over their situation in the country, coinciding with the transitional phase Syria has been undergoing since the interim government assumed power in Damascus in December 2024. Media reports have cited violations against civilians from religious and ethnic minorities, alongside persistent political and security challenges across the country.