Syrian President meets Christian leader amid community's vulnerability

Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa has met with Patriarch Juan X Yazigi, the leader of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, in Damascus. The meeting, held at the Presidential Palace, signals an effort by the current Syrian leadership to connect with the nation's Christian minority, a community significantly affected by extremist violence following the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The presence of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani at the meeting suggests that discussions likely covered the precarious situation of Christians within Syria and the broader diaspora. Since the fall of the Assad government, Patriarch Yazigi has been a vocal advocate for the indigenous Christian population, emphasizing their rights as full citizens rather than mere visitors.

Before the Syrian war began in 2011, Christians constituted approximately 10% of the country's population. However, the conflict has led to widespread displacement and emigration, with many Christians relocating to Lebanon or Western countries. Current estimates, according to the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), suggest the Christian population in Syria has dwindled to about 2-3%, or roughly 300,000 people, though official figures are unavailable.

Christian communities have been targets of attacks, notably by the Islamic State group. A suicide bombing in a church on the eastern outskirts of Damascus on June 22, 2025, resulted in around twenty fatalities. In response to these challenges, a group of Syrian Christians announced the formation of the Syrian Christian Congress via Facebook, aiming to represent Christian interests collectively and advocate for the rights of displaced individuals, including accountability for human rights violations.