As Christmas approaches in Syria, a season traditionally marked by joy and celebration among the country’s Christian communities has instead been overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. For the first time in decades, Christians are navigating life under the rule of Islamist leaders, a reality that has prompted church officials to urge subdued celebrations despite assurances from the new rulers of safety and religious freedom.
Syria’s new de facto ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa, leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate that has shed its jihadist image in a bid to govern a war-torn and deeply divided nation. While Sharaa has donned business suits and extended promises of equality and protection to religious minorities, the scars of Syria’s brutal dictatorship and a 13-year-long civil war weigh heavily on its Christian communities, leaving them skeptical of these reassurances.
Promises of Safety Amid Distrust
In public statements, Sharaa has told Christians and other minority groups that they will remain safe under HTS’s rule. He has assured Western officials that HTS will not seek revenge against supporters of the fallen Bashar al-Assad regime, which was dominated by the Alawite sect, nor will it repress other religious minorities. However, Sharaa’s past as a Sunni Islamist leader who once branded Christians as infidels makes it difficult for many to believe in the sincerity of his promises.
Recent incidents have further fueled doubts. On December 18, a Greek Orthodox church in Hama was attacked by unidentified gunmen who opened fire, attempted to destroy a cross, and vandalized headstones in the adjoining cemetery. While HTS police reportedly arrested the vandals swiftly, the damage left a lasting impression on the already wary Christian community.
Adding to the tension, residents in Bab Touma, a predominantly Christian neighborhood in Damascus, reported SUVs blasting jihadist songs and armored vehicles bearing ominous messages such as, “Your day is coming, Oh worshippers of the cross.” These incidents evoke fear and distrust among Christians, many of whom feel that HTS’s leadership may not be able—or willing—to restrain extremist factions within its ranks.
Mixed Signals and Deep-Seated Trauma
Christian leaders like Bishop Andrew Bahhi of St. George’s Syriac Orthodox Church are caught between cautious optimism and the harsh realities on the ground. While he praised HTS’s swift actions in some cases—such as forcing the driver of the vehicle with threatening messages to apologize—he acknowledges that words and gestures alone are not enough to rebuild trust.
“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 said. However, he has also advised his congregation to scale back Christmas celebrations, urging modesty in dress, keeping images of Father Christmas or St. Nicholas confined to church premises, and refraining from the customary distribution of sweets in the streets.
For many, these adjustments reflect not just caution but a deep-rooted fear shaped by years of violence and persecution. “The sight of armed men patrolling the streets does little to evoke trust among Christians scarred by Syria’s recent past,” Bahhi admitted.
Personal Stories of Loss
The lingering trauma of Syria’s civil war is exemplified by individuals like Emilia Katarina, a Christian mother who lost her eldest son and husband during the conflict. Katarina’s son, Firas Azar, disappeared in November 2012 after being detained by Assad’s forces at a checkpoint. Two years later, her husband was killed, and she and her daughter Mary were injured when a rebel shell struck their home.
Sitting beside a portrait of her husband wrapped in the Syrian flag, Katarina confessed, “Whenever I hear a sound at night, I jump. Fear is deeply ingrained in us.” Her daughter added, “The ideology does not change in an hour. We are afraid of this ideology.”
The weight of their losses, combined with the uncertainty of the present, leaves families like Katarina’s torn between hope and despair. “Maybe God will answer my prayers and bring back my son,” she whispered after lighting a candle at St. George’s Church.
The Challenge of Building Trust
Despite these fears, HTS has made some overtures to Syria’s Christian community. Shortly after Assad’s fall, an HTS representative met with Christian leaders, including Bahhi, to reassure them of their safety. However, even Bahhi admits that many questions remain unanswered. “How truthful and serious is he? We don’t know,” he said.
Beyond HTS’s leadership, Christians must also contend with other armed Islamist groups that remain active in Syria. The fractured and volatile landscape adds another layer of uncertainty, making it difficult for any minority group to feel secure.
A Fragmented Nation’s Shared Struggle
Syria’s Christians are not the only ones grappling with an uncertain future. The country’s mosaic of religious and ethnic minorities—including Muslim Kurds, Shi’ites, Druze, and various Orthodox Christian sects—shares a common concern: the survival of their way of life under Sunni Islamist rule. For many, the promises of inclusivity are overshadowed by the harsh realities of war, persecution, and ideological differences.
As Christmas approaches, Bishop Bahhi delivered a sermon on resilience and faith at St. George’s Church. For his congregation, these words offered a glimmer of hope, but the road to trust and reconciliation remains long. Syria’s minorities, scarred by decades of brutality and conflict, now face the daunting challenge of navigating a fragile peace under leaders with a contentious past.
For Katarina and countless others, the hope for a better future is tempered by the memories of what they have endured. As she lights her candle, she embodies the resilience of a community that refuses to lose faith despite overwhelming odds. Yet the question remains: can Syria’s new rulers turn promises into reality and build a nation that offers safety and equality for all?
