As Christmas approaches, Syria’s Christian communities are caught between fear and tentative hope, grappling with the uncertainties of life under new Islamist rulers. Despite assurances of safety and religious freedom from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate now governing significant parts of Syria, deep scars left by decades of dictatorship and over a decade of brutal civil war remain unhealed.
Scaling Back Christmas Celebrations
Church leaders have taken the cautious step of advising Christians to scale back Christmas celebrations this year, signaling a pervasive sense of unease. Religious leaders have urged their congregations to keep festive imagery such as Father Christmas and St. Nicholas within church premises, avoid public celebrations, and dress modestly. These self-imposed restrictions highlight the lack of trust in HTS’s promises, even as the group’s leaders claim to have abandoned their hardline jihadist ideologies for a more inclusive governance model.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, HTS’s de facto leader, has attempted to project a new image of tolerance and pragmatism. Once a militant commander in the Sunni Islamist group, Sharaa has traded his battlefield attire for business suits and made pledges to Western officials to protect Syria’s minorities, including Christians, Alawites, Druze, and others. He has assured that HTS will neither seek revenge on supporters of the ousted Assad regime nor suppress any minority groups.
However, for many Christians, these words ring hollow against the backdrop of recent incidents. On December 18, unidentified gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in Hama, smashing headstones in the cemetery and attempting to destroy a cross. A chilling photo circulating on social media shows an armored vehicle driving through a Christian neighborhood with the ominous message scrawled on its windshield: “Your day is coming, Oh worshippers of the cross.” In Damascus, jihadist songs blasting from SUVs in predominantly Christian areas have further unnerved residents.
HTS Responds but Skepticism Lingers
While HTS acted swiftly in some cases—arresting vandals in Hama and forcing the removal of inflammatory messages—trust remains elusive. Bishop Andrew Bahhi of St. George’s Syriac Orthodox Church acknowledged HTS’s prompt responses but emphasized the community’s need for more substantial actions to restore faith. “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,” he remarked.
For Syria’s Christians, their apprehension is not solely directed at HTS but extends to the myriad of Islamist groups still wielding influence in the region. The civil war fractured Syria into a patchwork of competing factions, and many of these groups share ideologies hostile to religious minorities.
A Community Scarred by Conflict
The trauma of Syria’s Christians runs deep. Families have been torn apart, homes destroyed, and lives lost during the war. Emilia Katarina, a mother from Hama, embodies this suffering. Her son, Firas Azar, disappeared after being detained at a government checkpoint in 2012, just weeks before his wedding. Two years later, a rebel group shelled her neighborhood, killing her husband and injuring Emilia and her daughter, Mary.
Now, years later, Emilia remains haunted by fear. “Whenever I hear a sound at night, I jump. Fear is deeply ingrained in us,” she says, clutching a photograph of her missing son. Mary adds, “The ideology does not change in an hour. We are afraid of this ideology.” Their apprehension is shared by many who worry that HTS’s claims of reform may only be superficial.
Despite these fears, HTS has attempted outreach efforts. Shortly after the fall of Assad’s regime, an HTS representative met with Christian leaders, urging them not to fear and pledging inclusivity. However, as Bishop Bahhi noted, the sincerity of these overtures remains unproven.
A Fractured Mosaic of Minorities
Syria’s rich tapestry of ethnic and religious minorities has long been a defining characteristic of the nation. Christian communities—ranging from Syriac and Greek Orthodox to Armenian Apostolic—have coexisted alongside Druze, Muslim Kurds, Shi’ites, and Alawites for centuries. Yet, the civil war shattered this fragile coexistence, with many minorities fearing persecution under Sunni Islamist rule.
The visible presence of armed Islamist militants in traditionally Christian neighborhoods, often accompanied by religious slogans and aggressive displays of power, does little to alleviate concerns. For Christians like Emilia, these reminders of past traumas make it difficult to envision a peaceful coexistence under HTS.
Faith Amid Fear
In the midst of this tension, religious leaders like Bishop Bahhi continue to preach messages of faith and resilience. During a recent sermon at St. George’s Church, he urged his congregation to remain steadfast in their beliefs despite the challenges. Among the worshippers was Emilia, tears streaming down her face as she lit a candle and whispered a prayer for the safe return of her son.
For Syria’s Christians, Christmas this year will be a subdued affair, marked by both reflection and uncertainty. While HTS’s promises of tolerance offer a glimmer of hope, the path to building trust and ensuring safety for all Syrians remains fraught with challenges.
As the bells of Christmas prepare to ring in a fractured nation, the prayers of many will echo a common plea: for peace, safety, and a future free from fear.
