The Maronite Archbishop of Aleppo has warned of deepening fear among Syria’s Christians following the massacre of at least 25 worshippers at a Damascus church.
Archbishop Joseph Tobji told Fides News Agency the attack “will forever be associated with the stigma of martyrdom of Syrian Christians in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime.”
He said threats have emerged in its aftermath, including graffiti in Hama reading “your turn will come too” and leaflets posted on Christian homes with the phrase “Syria must be cleansed,” alongside images of bombs and rifles.
“Perhaps they are not even real photos,” Tobji said. “But the fear they unleash is not a ‘fake’.”
While authorities have pledged protection and deployed security during Christian celebrations, Tobji said confidence is low. “People do not believe in them. Fear and despair prevail.”
The archbishop added that many armed groups do not heed the current government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist commander. He warned of increasing Islamist influence, citing gender-segregated public spaces and intrusive moral policing.
“In such episodes, many people begin to say: This is no longer our country,” he said, noting that many young Syrians are seeking to emigrate.
In response, the Catholic bishops formed a committee for dialogue and recently hosted a three-day conference on reconciliation. “We spoke freely,” Tobji said. “There was also criticism of the current government, and others expressed their support.”
Much of the country remains unstable. “There is no police on the streets… Bread still costs ten times more than it used to,” he said. “The worst thing is the high prices of medicines, surgery and rents.”
Tobji, who has met al-Sharaa four times, said the president “shows that he has progressive visions,” but added, “I do not know if he will succeed… I hope so.”
Despite the lifting of sanctions, Tobji said there are “no reassuring signs” of recovery. He also pointed to shifting foreign alliances. “Now the al-Sharaa government is supported by the US and Europe… There are no eternal allies, no eternal friendships. It is interests that drive things.”
