Syria holds prayer marches after terrorist attack on Prophet Elijah Church
“They wanted us to be afraid, but we pray and move forward,” said participants of the cross procession.
On June 24, 2025, large-scale cross and prayer processions were held across Syria in memory of those killed in the terrorist attack on the Church of the Prophet Elijah in Damascus. The Christian community Wadi Alnasara News reported the events via its Facebook page.
The Christian districts of Al-Hawash, Duwaila, and Wadi al-Nasara became the focal points of the commemorations, where believers gathered at churches and moved in processions toward Damascus.
People began gathering at the Church of the Prophet Elijah early in the morning. Hundreds of faithful walked on foot or drove in cars, forming a living column. Many carried church crosses, candles, and icons; some held signs with the names of the deceased and quotes from Scripture. The procession was accompanied by prayers and the ringing of church bells.
The faithful mourned, prayed, and expressed solidarity with the victims. Participants of the procession emphasized that they would not be intimidated or shaken in their faith.
“They bombed the church to scare us and stop us from coming to worship… But instead of fear, there is prayer. The churches and roads are full of people. We walked from the Church of St. Elijah in Al-Hawash to the Church of Elijah in Duwaila to pray for the martyrs and the wounded. We are one – our blood is one,” said participants from Wadi al-Nasara.
The procession was a response to the June 23 terrorist attack, which left at least 25 dead and over 60 injured. Syrian authorities blamed the attack on ISIS militants who had reportedly escaped from the Al-Hol refugee camp.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Syrian police had neutralized the terrorists who attacked the church in Damascus.
