Latakia’s Syriac Orthodox Church commemorates 110th anniversary of Sayfo Genocide

LATAKIA, Syria — The Syriac Orthodox Church in Latakia solemnly marked the 110th anniversary of the Sayfo Genocide, a systematic campaign of mass killings perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and other Christian communities during World War I.

A Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Greek Catholic Church of the Annunciation, followed by prayers for the martyrs’ souls, attended by a congregation of the faithful.

In recent years, the Sayfo Genocide, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives through mass killings, starvation, property confiscation, and displacement, has been increasingly commemorated by institutions and churches across Syria and around the world. These events aim to honor the victims and raise awareness of the atrocities committed as part of the ethnic and religious cleansing campaigns of 1915.

The Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo d’Bethnahrin, MUB) was among the pioneers in organizing such commemorations, working to influence international public opinion and advocating for the formal recognition of this dark chapter in history.

The Latakia memorial serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community and their enduring commitment to preserving the memory of those lost in the genocide.