Bishop in Damascus, Monsignor Georges Assadourian
The political situation in Syria, which has led to a drastic change in the country’s leadership, continues to deeply affect the lives of its citizens, particularly the Christian communities. Monsignor Georges Assadourian, the Armenian Catholic bishop of Damascus, shared with the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) how recent events in the capital have been experienced, and reflected on the role of Christians during this period of transition. (Cover photo: In the 2010s, Syrian children pray in ruins, in front of the icon of Our Lady of Sorrows, Comforter of the Syrians, whose writing was supported by ACN).
“The situation in Damascus today is calm, as it was yesterday. On the night of Friday, December 6, and Saturday at noon, we held a universal prayer with all the priests, nuns, and religious, to pray for peace in Syria,” declared Msgr. Assadourian. These prayers were a response to reports of rebels reaching the outskirts of Damascus after having taken other cities like Aleppo, Hama, and Homs.
Faced with the imminent events and the uncertainty of the situation, preventive measures were taken in the capital. “We asked all male and female religious on the outskirts of the city to return to their convents or schools. We also went to our parishes,” the bishop explained.
Saturday night became a historic and chaotic day. “It was the most dramatic day in Syria’s history. The president left the country, and everything turned into a desert—a country freed from the regime that had been in place for 50 years,” he stated. This uncertain situation led citizens to seek answers about the future of the Christian community in Damascus.
In response, religious leaders gathered at the Armenian Catholic episcopate to coordinate a joint strategy. Msgr. Assadourian explained that there was also contact with representatives of the new power in Syria. Although the expected meeting with a key leader could not take place, a journalist sent by him conveyed a reassuring message, ensuring that the situation will be fine and calm.
On the morning of Monday, December 9, accompanied by a Franciscan priest and the local parish priest, Msgr. Assadourian visited the Four Seasons Hotel, now the headquarters of the new political and military leaders of the revolution, where they met with key figures to discuss the role of Christians in the new Syria. “We discussed the Christian presence in Damascus and Syria, and also the role of Christians: Will we continue to live and bear witness to our Christianity or not? They assured us that everything would be fine and that we should not worry,” the bishop told ACN.
The bishop also highlighted the presence of several international ambassadors at the hotel, noting the global effort to monitor the changes in the country.
ACN has expressed its commitment to continue providing emergency and spiritual aid to vulnerable Christian communities in Syria, which have endured many years of war, poverty, and uncertainty. In this period of transition, the charity will continue to stand by the Christian community in Syria, working to ensure that their voice is heard and their rights respected. Hope and faith remain fundamental pillars in facing the challenges ahead.
