Daramsuq Christians mourn martyrs of church attack in emotional funeral: ‘We Are Not Afraid of Death’

DARAMSUQ — Hundreds of mourners gathered under a heavy sky in the Al-Qasa’a neighborhood of Daramsuq (Damascus) on Tuesday to bid farewell to the victims of Sunday’s devastating suicide attack at the Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Church of Mar Elias that left 28 people martyred. The liturgy and funeral procession, steeped in sorrow and resilience, became both a moment of collective grief and a powerful declaration of faith and belonging.

The funeral service was led by Patriarch of the Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi. He stood at the altar in solemn prayer, surrounded by rows of grieving families, fellow clergy, and laypeople who packed the church to honor the lives of the departed — men, women, and children who had gathered in peace but whose lives were violently taken in a cowardly act of terror.

Among the many clerics present were Bishop Eugène Nehmeh — Secretary to Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, Bishop Andraous, Bishop of Youth and Development, and dozens of other priests and religious leaders. The atmosphere was thick with both anguish and strength, as candles flickered over coffins draped in white and incense rose to ancient chants.

In his homily, Patriarch John X addressed President Ahmed al-Sharaa directly, urging the government to intensify efforts to safeguard all Syrians, particularly vulnerable religious minorities. “Christians are an essential and indigenous part of the Syrian people,” he proclaimed. “We extended our hands to the state, but the state has not yet extended its hand to us.”

This poignant plea, striking in its clarity and honesty, was removed from the televised broadcast by state media. But inside the church, the people responded. A wave of emotion surged through the congregation, breaking into chants:

“Raise your voice, our Patriarch! The Christian does not fear death!” 

“Blessed is the death upon the wood of our cross!” 

These defiant cries reverberated throughout the sanctuary, a testament to the enduring spirit of a community too often left to grieve in silence.

In a moment that brought tears to many, the Patriarch also recalled a phone call he had received from the President following the attack. “The gesture was appreciated,” he said. “But, Mr. President, a phone call is not enough.”

Following the liturgy, the coffins were carried out into the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Cross, accompanied by scouts playing solemn hymns and the ululation of women expressing both pain and pride. The funeral procession made its way to the Syriac cemetery in the Tabaleh district, where the martyrs were laid to rest amid a sea of mourners.

As the last prayers were said and the earth closed around the coffins, a profound silence fell, punctuated only by quiet sobs and whispered prayers. It was a farewell heavy with love, a eulogy offered not just in words but in a community’s refusal to be broken.

Sunday’s bombing — now widely attributed to the Islamic State (ISIS) but claimed by Saraya Ansar al-Sunna — has left a deep scar on Syria’s Christian community, but it has also rekindled a fierce sense of unity and dignity.

“They are not victims,” one mourner said quietly. “They are martyrs. And they are part of us forever.”