Pat. John X Meets With Syrian President
Tensions between church and state had been high, with June's bombing of the St. Elias Church in Damascus being followed by several other terrorist threats and attacks around the country.
DAMASCUS — The President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Ahmad al-Sharaa, received His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, at the Presidential Palace in Damascus this past weekend.
"During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the national role of the Church in strengthening and deepening the bonds of citizenship and national unity, thereby contributing to the safeguarding of civil peace and establishing its foundations on firm principles of understanding and brotherhood among the sons of the one homeland," a statement from the president's office reads.
In his homily for the funeral of the New Martyrs of Damascus in June following the bombing of the Prophet Elias Church, His Beatitude had specifically called out the new Syrian government.
“We cannot accept such a thing to occur during this period of ‘revolution’ and during your honorable tenure,” Pat. John X said, addressing the president in regards to the terrorist attack. “This is unacceptable and must be condemned.”
The patriarch also said that the country's Christians had "extended our hand to build a new Syria," and that they were still waiting for a hand to reach back.
Since the attack in June, churches have been burned and looted, leaflets calling for the murder of Christians have been placed on church doors, and a terrorist splinter group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Damascus church - the terrorist organization being one that was created earlier this year when it splintered from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the jihadist group which several prominent members of the new Syrian government have ties to.
It is yet to be seen if His Beatitude's meeting with al-Sharaa will lead to any significant action in regards to the ongoing terrorist threat to the Church.
