Athens, 23 June 2025. IAO statement on the terrorist attack In Damascus Orthodox church

We express our deepest dismay at the terrorist attack that took place at the Greek Orthodox Church of Prophet Elias in Damascus during the Divine Liturgy, which cost the lives of at least 22 Christians and injured dozens of others.

The transitional authorities of Syria bear the ultimate responsibility for ensuring security of the country’s Christians and the free exercise of their religious rights. However, at the same time, the international community and especially the Christian world must not remain mere observers of such events, which, during the last decades, have led the Christian population of the Middle East to the brink of extinction.

The continued indifferent approach towards such phenomena of criminal action allows them to be perpetuated. There are implements of pressure and compliance for the protection of the rights of Christians and other minorities, which must be utilized before it is too late.

At this time, our thoughts are with the families of the victims, the suffering Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, and all our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria.

We consider it necessary to accelerate the transition of power processes to the political forces of Syria and the immediate reopening of the country’s Parliament and representative institutions, which will dynamically contribute to the practices for reconciliation.

To this end, we consider the positions of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) regarding the need for collaboration between parliamentary and religious institutions valuable, as expressed in the Communiques adopted during its successive Parliamentary Conferences on Interfaith Dialogue in Marrakesh (2023) and recently in Rome (2025).

    Athens, 23 June 2025. IAO statement on the terrorist attack In Damascus Orthodox church

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