For the pre-Christmas service in the Catholic church “St. Teresa” in the center of Damascus, only a dozen people gathered to pray. “Dear God, deliver us from evil”, they say in their prayers, which are particularly intense these days. Because many Christians in Syria feel insecure and do not know what the fall of the long-time dictator will mean for them, says a report by the German public media ARD. Because the new rulers in the country are Islamists. Ruwaida, who is among the worshippers, shares her concerns: “Everyone is worried, everyone. The changes around, in the community, are noticeable. We don't know what else will happen".
„We are trying to maintain normality"
Before the arrival of the militant Islamists and the bearded armed rebels, Christians, Muslims and other minorities lived peacefully together, Ruwaida emphasizes. But will this be possible under the new government?
Christmas this year is completely different, the woman tells the German publication. „We are preparing everything, decorating the Christmas tree, putting up the nativity scene, baking cookies. We are trying to maintain normality as much as possible. And we hope that despite the changes we will be able to continue going to our church - because it is our second home. If they take it away from us, they will take everything away from us."
Are Christians afraid of the new rulers? Maher, who also came to the church, thinks exactly the same. He does not want to speak to the German media, but only confirms that he is very afraid of persecution.
Fear of the new rulers
Although the commander of the group “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS) Ahmed al-Sharaa, known by his nickname Al-Jolani, assures that minorities in Syria will be shown respect, many Christians do not believe his words. Because he is clearly an Islamist, was part of the Syrian wing of Al-Qaeda, had ties to “Islamic State”.
“I am already afraid”, says Syrian Mirna to ARD. “Doesn't it say that infidels must be killed? So they mean us, the Christians. And the shedding of our blood seems to be permitted?".
Mirna, who has two children, prays mostly for them. She no longer sees a future for them in Syria. “I wouldn't want my children to live in this atmosphere. I would like them to be able to be themselves, without anyone controlling their thoughts and opinions,", Mirna explained to the German publication.
Christmas without celebration
The pastor of the community, Jamil Kaldani, says that at Christmas in Damascus there have always been celebrations in the squares. But this year everything is different. “Uncertainty reigns. They told us that the church bells could irritate some Muslims and asked us not to be so loud. At that moment, fear began to grip our hearts," he says. According to him, HTS and other militias will not guarantee the safety of Christians. “Therefore, this year there will only be prayers - nothing festive, no bells."
The pastor does not hide his concern - he is distrustful of the new rulers in Syria. Even if many Christians are happy that Assad is gone - until now in Damascus the peaceful coexistence of religions was a fact, the pastor emphasizes. The Muslim neighbors respected the Christmas celebrations and even participated in them. “I would not like them to come and say - remove the crosses from the churches, just because they are stronger now. They must understand that Syria is a country where Christians and Muslims live together,”, the pastor tells ARD.
Hope for a peaceful Christmas
Kaldani remembers that Christmas was even celebrated together. “For Muslims, Jesus is a prophet. For us, he is God. Let's understand that he is an example. That's why the holidays were celebrated together. Muslims took part in processions and took pictures near our Christmas decorations. But I fear that this could change. This Christmas, our prayers are for Muslims to understand that we are a significant part of society."
As a Christian, the pastor is filled with hope: perhaps what is happening in Syria now has a deeper meaning. “Christmas is a message of hope. When Jesus was born in a manger, he was a refugee. There was no place for him and his parents. All of Syria has been on the run for years. Perhaps this year we will experience a different Christmas - we, Christians, as a kind of refugees. The fact that Assad fell just before Christmas was probably for Syria like a resurrection before the holiday. This could be a new birth for all of Syria," hopes Kaldani. His wish, as well as the wish of Christians living in Syria, is for Christmas to be peaceful.