The fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024 and the seizure of power by the jihadist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have had devastating consequences for Syria's Christian community. According to the Open Doors World Watch List 2026 report, Syria's violence score soared from 7 to 16.1 out of a maximum of 16.7, the largest increase recorded for any country in a single year. A brutal regime that at least tolerated a Christian presence has given way to a jihadist regime that treats Christians as enemies.
Before the civil war, Syria was home to one of the oldest and most vibrant Christian communities in the Middle East, with roots stretching back to the apostolic era. Ancient towns such as Maaloula, where Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still spoken, were subjected to brutal attacks. Under the new post-Assad conditions, missionaries and Christian organizations report that many Syrian Christians who endured the civil war are now fleeing urgently, fearing the implementation of strict Islamic sharia law. Historic churches have been confiscated, converted into mosques or destroyed.
Despite the exodus, missionary organizations maintain discreet support networks for Christians who choose to stay, providing emergency financial assistance, remote pastoral support and resources to help them escape in situations of immediate danger. The Christian witness in Syria, one of the very cradles of Christianity, is now sustained by brothers and sisters who literally risk their lives rather than abandon their spiritual homeland.
Pray for Syrian Christians facing the devastating choice between staying and risking their lives or leaving and losing everything. Intercede for the preservation of Syria's historic churches and Christian heritage. Cry out to God that the new Syrian government will respect the rights of religious minorities. May the nations receiving Syrian Christian refugees welcome them with love, and may the Syrian Church be restored in its historic witness.
