Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem calls on international community to focus on protection of Christians in Syria

Amid the eruption of violence against minorities in Syria, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is calling attention to the threat Armenian Christians in the region face and urging the international community to immediately protect all Christians there. 

“As we stand witness to the ongoing turmoil and devastating conflict in Syria, our hearts are filled with deep sorrow and concern for all who are suffering,” the Patriarchate said in a March 11 message.

They said they are especially moved by the Armenian Christian community that has made a home there since the 1915 Armenian genocide and that their presence in the country is a sign of their resilience and faith. At this time, all Christian communities in Syria are again under threat.

The Patriarchate emphasized that they are speaking out in protection of all innocent people, but especially for the Armenians, who “are not simply an ethnic group or a community of believers; they are a sacred witness to survival, perseverance, and the continued struggle for dignity in the face of genocidal persecution.” Their lives and heritage in Syria are now at great risk. 

On March 6, the new Syrian government’s General Security Forces clashed with remnants of the Bashar al-Assad regime, which collapsed in December 2024 after a coalition of predominantly Islamist militants overthrew it, as CatholicVote previously reported. Amid this conflict, Security Forces slaughtered minority civilians, mainly in the Alawite community, as well as Christians. Within a few days, the civilian death toll had climbed and may now be between 1,500 and 3,000, according to conflicting reports. 

The civil war in Syria has damaged Armenian churches, schools, and homes, the Patriarchate said, and Armenian Christians again grapple with fear of displacement.

“We call upon the international community — governments, religious organizations, humanitarian bodies, and individuals — to urgently focus attention on the protection and preservation of ALL CHRISTIANS IN SYRIA,” the Patriarchate stated. “These communities are not just ethnic minorities; they are a vital part of the Christian presence in the larger Middle East, a presence that has endured for centuries. The security of our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria must not be overlooked or treated as a secondary concern in the midst of political shifts in the region.”

The Patriarchate concluded with a prayer for the blessing of Christians in Syria, asking God to bring peace to the country. 

“We pray,” they wrote, “for the day when all minority Christians, regardless of their denomination, can live in their communities in harmony and security, without the threat of religious persecution.”