Pope Leo XIV expressed his closeness to persecuted Christians during the Wednesday general audience on June 25, referring to the “heinous terrorist attack” on Sunday by the Islamic State against the Greek Orthodox community in Damascus, in which 25 faithful lost their lives while attending the Divine Liturgy.
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On Sunday, June 22, the solemnity of Corpus Christi, eyewitnesses reported that two armed men stormed the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Elias in Douailah on the outskirts of the Syrian capital. The brutal attack, the first since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, also left 63 injured.
During his greetings to the Italian-speaking faithful, the pontiff entrusted the deceased “to the mercy of God” while offering prayers for the wounded and their families.
“To the Christians of the Middle East, I say: I am close to you! The whole Church is close to you!” Pope Leo exclaimed.
This tragic event, according to the pontiff, “recalls the profound fragility that Syria still faces after years of conflict and instability.”
Leo XIV emphasized that it is essential that the international community “not ignore this country but continue to offer support through gestures of solidarity and a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation.”
The Holy Father said he continues “to follow carefully and with hope the developments in Iran, Israel, and Palestine” while recalling that the words of the prophet Isaiah resonate today with more urgency than ever: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2:4).
“May this voice, which comes from the Most High, be heard! May the wounds caused by the bloody actions of recent days be healed,” he urged.
Finally, before the thousands of faithful listening to him in St. Peter’s Square, he called for the rejection of “arrogance and revenge, and instead resolutely choose the path of dialogue, diplomacy, and peace.”
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This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
