Syrian Christians Celebrate Christmas Eve Amid Tensions
DAMASCUS, Dec 24 (Pakish) - For the first time since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, Syrian Christians attended Christmas Eve services on Tuesday, marking an early test of the new Islamist rulers' commitments to safeguard the rights of religious minorities in the country. The service took place under strict security measures due to fears of violence against Christian sites, with several pickup trucks belonging to the ruling Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) stationed around the church. The pews of the Lady of Damascus Church were filled with a diverse congregation of young and old, holding candles as hymns resonated throughout the church. Earlier that day, hundreds of protesters gathered in Damascus to condemn an incident in which a Christmas tree was set ablaze in the northern countryside of Hama governorate. Carrying wooden crosses, the demonstrators chanted, "We are your soldiers, Jesus," "With blood and soul, we sacrifice for Jesus," and "The Syrian people are one." Protester Laila Farkouh stated, "We are protesting to demand our rights and denounce the burning of the Christmas tree and attacks on churches. We do not accept this." Ahmed al-Sharaa, the de facto ruler, assured Christians and other groups that they would be safe in a Syria governed by HTS, a former affiliate of al-Qaeda. Despite being a former leader of the Sunni Muslim Islamist group, which traditionally views Christians as infidels, Sharaa has adopted a more moderate appearance in recent public engagements. He has informed visiting Western officials that HTS will not seek revenge against the previous Assad regime, which was predominantly composed of Alawite figures, nor will it oppress any religious minorities. However, many Christians remain skeptical. The burning of the Christmas tree was one of several incidents targeting Christians since the regime's fall. On December 18, unidentified gunmen opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in Hama, attempted to destroy a cross, and vandalized headstones in the cemetery, according to a statement from the church. In another incident, Pakish reporters observed several SUVs driving through Bab Touma, a predominantly Christian neighborhood in Damascus, playing jihadist songs loudly from their speakers.
