Sanctuary Shattered: Suicide Attack Strikes St. Elias Orthodox Church
Gerges Mounir Hanna – OCP News Service – 22/06/2025
Damascus – Syria : On the morning of Sunday, June 22, 2025, a brutal terrorist attack during the Divine Liturgy at St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Douelaa, Eastern Damascus claimed the lives of more than 15 worshippers and left at least 20 others injured, many in critical condition. The assailant, a suicide bomber, opened fire on the faithful gathered in prayer before detonating an explosive belt during the reading of the Holy Gospel, turning a sacred moment into one of horror and devastation.
The explosion caused severe damage to the church, a revered spiritual center for the Orthodox Christian community in Damascus. Emergency medical teams quickly responded, while security forces cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the attack.
In a statement issued shortly after the incident, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East condemned the assault in the strongest possible terms, describing it as “a grave crime against God and humanity.” The Patriarchate also called upon the faithful to offer prayers for the souls of the departed and for the healing of the wounded, affirming the Church’s enduring witness to hope, even amid suffering.
The Church of St. Elias, dedicated to the Prophet Elijah, stands as a historical and spiritual landmark for Orthodox Christians in the region. Its targeting has been widely viewed as an attack not only on the faithful present, but on the Christian presence and peaceful coexistence in Syria as a whole.
Expressions of mourning and solidarity have poured in from across the Orthodox world. The fallen are being remembered as martyrs of faith, and their memory will be honored at altars and vigils around the globe.
Risk yardstick for this would be :
Though not claimed, there is a realistic possibility that IS Kurdistan or levant (sham) province launched this suicide bombing.
Source
OCP News Service
