Hundreds marked Christmas at Damascus’s Mar Elias Church, honoring 25 victims of a June suicide bombing and praising congregants who subdued the attacker.

On December 23, 2025, hundreds gathered at Damascus’s Mar Elias Church to celebrate Christmas and remember 25 victims of a June suicide bombing, the first major attack on a Christian site in Syria in years. The attacker, who opened fire and detonated an explosive vest during Sunday prayers, was subdued by three congregants hailed as heroes. A neon Christmas tree adorned with photos of the deceased symbolized remembrance and hope. Despite fears among Syria’s religious minorities and instability under a new Sunni Islamist-led government, worshippers expressed grief but reaffirmed their faith, emphasizing peace and resilience in the face of violence.