First Christmas Under Islamist Rule Tests Syria’s Religious Tolerance
Syrian Christians gathered for Christmas Eve services on Tuesday, their first since the ousting of President Bashar Assad in early December. The service at Lady of Damascus Church in the capital tested the promises of Syria’s new Islamist rulers, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), to protect the rights of religious minorities.
Security was tight around the church, with HTS vehicles stationed nearby amid fears of violence. Inside, worshippers lit candles and sang hymns, celebrating the holiday despite an atmosphere of uncertainty.
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Earlier in the day, protests erupted in Damascus over the burning of a Christmas tree in Hama’s northern countryside. Demonstrators carrying crosses chanted slogans like, “We are your soldiers, Jesus,” and demanded accountability for attacks on Christian sites.
The incident is one of several targeting Christians since HTS, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, took power. On December 18, gunmen attacked a Greek Orthodox church in Hama, vandalizing a cross and cemetery headstones. In another incident, SUVs drove through Damascus’ Bab Touma neighborhood, blaring jihadist songs.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist, has pledged to protect all religious minorities and avoid retribution against Assad’s Alawite-dominated regime. However, many Christians remain skeptical, citing recent incidents as evidence of rising hostility.
