Regina Lynch, Executive President of ACN International, said: “We are deeply shocked by this tragic and senseless act of violence.  Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the entire Christian community in Syria.  We stand in full solidarity with our brothers and sisters in faith and echo the urgent appeal of His Beatitude Patriarch John X to protect places of worship and end any cycle of violence.”

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, a long-time partner of ACN, issued a statement condemning the attack in the strongest terms:

“On the day our Church of Antioch commemorates all the Antiochian saints, the treacherous hand of evil struck this evening, claiming our lives along with those of our loved ones, who fell as martyrs today during the evening liturgy in the Church of St. Elijah in Dweila, Damascus.”

“According to the preliminary information we have at this time, an explosion occurred at the entrance of the church, causing the death of many martyrs and injuring others who were inside and around the church.”

“As we continue to count the martyrs and the wounded and to collect the remains and bodies of our martyred loved ones, whose exact number we have not yet determined, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East strongly condemns this atrocious act and denounces this horrific crime in the strongest possible terms. The Patriarchate urges the authorities to take full responsibility for what has happened and continues to happen in terms of violations of the sanctity of the churches, and to ensure the protection of all citizens.”

“His Beatitude Patriarch John X has been personally following what is happening from the very beginning. He is conducting local and regional contacts to convey the dark image of Damascus to the entire world. He calls for action to stop these massacres.”

“We pray for the repose of the souls of the martyrs, for the healing of the wounded, and for the comfort of our people.  We also affirm our firmness in faith and, through that firmness, our rejection of all fear and terror.  We ask Christ our God to guide the ship of our salvation amid the storms of this world, He who is blessed forever.”

The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch is one of ACN’s project partners in Syria, with whom the foundation has been collaborating for years to support Christian communities through pastoral, humanitarian, and reconstruction aid.

The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need urges the international community not to look the other way and to work to ensure the protection of all religious communities in the Middle East. We pray for the souls of the deceased, for the healing of the wounded, and for the prevailing peace in Syria.

ACN is currently supporting several ongoing projects in Syria that assist Christians of various faiths, including the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, through pastoral care and emergency assistance. Donations can be made to help maintain the Christian presence in Syria and provide vital support to these suffering communities.