On Religion: More Than Politics When it Comes To Syria’s Christians
(ANALYSIS) The faithful gathered for a more than symbolic rite at St. Elias Orthodox Church in Damascus -- the Feast of All Antiochian Saints.
During this June 22 service, a jihadi — Syria blamed the Islamic State group — entered with a rifle and began firing. As worshippers tackled him, he detonated an explosive vest. In seconds the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch had more names to add to its two millennia of saints and martyrs.
“Among the spirits of the righteous perfected in faith, give rest, O Savior, to the souls of Your servants, keeping them in the blessed life which is from You, O loving One," Orthodox believers prayed this past Sunday, in global memorial prayers for the new martyrs.
“In Your place of rest, O Lord, where all Your Saints repose, give rest also to the souls of Your servants, for You alone are immortal." Bishops circulated names to be read aloud: "Nabil, Emile, Souliman, Simon, Abdallah, Amal, Milad, Razzouk, Farid, Peter, Georgios, Mariam, Susan, Julia, Metanios, Maen, Anas, Laurance, Anjie. ...”
In a funeral for many of the martyrs, Antiochian Patriarch John X preached about the past, the present and the life to come.
“You, beloved martyrs, have left us and were translated to heaven, to eternal life, in the presence of the Lord Who rose from the dead," he said, in an online translation from Arabic. "You were martyred and entered into eternal life on this day, joining the company of all righteous and holy Antiochian Saints, and all the saints. Today, we turn to you. We ask you to pray for us, now that you rest in the Lord's embrace.”
It's hard to shock believers in sanctuaries surrounded by centuries of war, conquest and terror. Young people saw three of the faithful attempt to push the attacker away from the flock inside St. Elias.
“Grace, Peter and Milad. I know them personally," said Patriarch John. "These are our people and our heroes. ... They would have done the same and protected the people around them even if they were in the mosque.”
The political context was significant and, thus, dominated mainstream news reports. The BBC noted: "It was the first such attack in Damascus since Islamist-led rebel forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December, ending 13 years of devastating civil war.”
But, for Christians around the world, this attack also took place in an ancient, truly biblical context. The Book of Acts states that St. Paul was taken to Damascus -- after his miraculous conversion -- to be healed and discipled in a house on "the street called Straight." Today, the headquarters of the Antiochian patriarchate remains on Straight Street.
This latest terrorist attack fell on the Feast of all Antiochian Saints. A week later, the memorial prayers for the new martyrs were recited on the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. The first bishop of Antioch was St. Peter before he went to Rome. And Acts, chapter 11, notes that St. Paul was quickly taken to Antioch, where he "taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians.”
Today, the great city of Antioch is all but gone. What remains -- near the border of Turkey and Syria -- is Antakya, to the west of the modern city of Aleppo.
The Antiochian patriarch's blood brother — Metropolitan Paul Yazigi — was the bishop of Aleppo. He was kidnapped in 2013. He disappeared, with an archbishop, while trying to negotiate the release of kidnapped priests. Metropolitan Paul's fate remains unknown, and a body was never recovered.
What happens now? Facing rows of caskets, Patriarch John addressed part of his funeral sermon to Syrian President al-Sharaa, who was not in attendance.
“With all love, respect and appreciation, Mr. President, you spoke yesterday by phone with the patriarchal vicar to convey your condolences to us. This is not enough. ... I will say it plainly: We were informed that the government intends to declare an official day of mourning for the nation. Mr. President, do not announce this day as a day of mourning. As Christians, we do not desire anyone to mourn for us. Rather, I would find it beautiful that you declare this day a day of mourning for the government itself.”
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Terry Mattingly is Senior Fellow on Communications and Culture at Saint Constantine College in Houston. He lives in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and writes Rational Sheep, a Substack newsletter on faith and mass media.