Syrian Patriarchs plead for peace as hundreds of Alawites, Christians are killed
March 10, 2025
The Patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch issued a joint statement denouncing the “dangerous escalation of violence, brutality, and killings” in Syria, “resulting in attacks on innocent civilians, including women and children.”
“Homes have been violated, their sanctity disregarded, and properties looted—scenes that starkly reflect the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people,” the Patriarchs said, as they called for “an immediate end to these horrific acts,” “the swift creation of conditions conducive to achieving national reconciliation among the Syrian people,” and “an environment that facilitates the transition to a state that respects all its citizens and lays the foundation for a society based on equal citizenship and genuine partnership.”
The Patriarchs added that they “reaffirm the unity of Syrian territory and reject any attempts to divide it,” amid concerns that Israel, which invaded Syria in December, favors the division of the nation.
Citing a Greek City Times article (“Turkey-backed jihadists massacre Greek Orthodox Christians and Alawites in latest bout of violence”), the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople reported that “hundreds of Christians, including Greek Orthodox, and Alawites have been killed after clashes broke out” in two Syrian coastal regions.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who holds a primacy of honor among the Orthodox churches, “offered prayers to Almighty God, asking for peace to prevail in the hearts of all and for stability and reconciliation to be restored in Syria.”
Likewise, Pope Francis wrote in his March 9 Angelus address that “I have learned with concern of the resumption of violence in some areas of Syria: I hope that they cease definitively, with full respect for all ethnic and religious components of society, especially civilians.”
In December, the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president from 2000 to 2024, fell, and Ahmed al-Sharaa, a militant Islamist, became interim president. Assad is a member of the Alawites, the Islamic sect targeted in the recent attacks.
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