By Michael Austin April 13, 2026 at 9:30am
After an attack targeted at Christians rocked the nation of Syria, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox leaders within the country restricted worship on Easter to inside churches only.
According to a report from The National, assailants on motorcycles carried out an attack in late March in Suqaylabiyah, a city in western Syria.
They fired guns, damaged storefronts, and smashed cars as citizens were forced to hide — an attack which followed the expulsion of two Sunni villagers who allegedly entered the town and harassed a woman.
The inhabitants of the village are largely Greek Orthodox.
After the attack, the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox authorities said in a statement that “the Patriarchs extended their blessings and greetings to the faithful, while directing that celebrations be limited exclusively to prayers within the churches.”
On the eve of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, in the ancient Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, Syria, groups of armed Islamists are attacking Christian shops, homes, and churches. The Al-Qaeda/ISIS-aligned Syrian government is encouraging these attacks and has been a catastrophic… pic.twitter.com/TPHukOiLx6
— Iraqi Christian Foundation (@iraqschristians) March 28, 2026
“With deep concern and a sense of responsibility, the Patriarchs addressed the challenges facing Syria that threaten the country’s shared coexistence between Muslims and Christians,” the statement said.
“They emphasized the urgent need to control unregulated weapons and to maintain security and stability. They also stressed the importance of safeguarding the dignity of all citizens without exception.”
The statement added that “this must be grounded in the principles of citizenship, equal rights and duties, and respect for both personal and public freedoms.”
That means Syrian Christians cannot enjoy marching bands and egg hunts in the streets — traditions which usually mark the resurrection of Jesus in their country.
Easter for western Christians was on April 5, and eastern Christians will celebrate the holiday on April 12.
BREAKING:
Armed attack on the Christian city of Suqaylabiyah in Hama, Syria.
HTS-aligned residents of Qalaat al-Madiq were seen attacking properties belonging to the Christian population in Suqaylabiyah.
They also targeted a statue of the Virgin Mary in the city.
The attack… pic.twitter.com/tEm1C6mdbX
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 27, 2026
Christians in Syria have faced heightened persecution since the end of Bashar Al Assad’s regime at the end of 2024.
Assad was an Alawite — an offshoot of Shia Islam — meaning that religious minorities were treated relatively better under his governance.
The population of Suqaylabiyah has declined from 20,000 to 16,000 after the new Sunni Muslim government took over, which prompted Assad loyalists in the town to flee.
Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations; guiding the editorial direction of The Western Journal; and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Entertainment News, Christian-Conservatism
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