A top Syrian Christian leader publicly rebuked President Ahmed al-Sharaa during a funeral service last Tuesday, blaming his administration for failing to protect religious minorities after a suicide bombing at a Damascus church left at least 25 dead.

The attack, carried out during a Sunday mass, marked the deadliest strike on Christians in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch John (X) Yazigi addressed mourners gathered at the Church of the Holy Cross, where nine victims were laid to rest in white coffins covered with flowers.

“With love and with all due respect, Mr. President, you spoke yesterday by phone ... to express your condolences. That is not enough for us,” he said, according to Reuters.

5 facts about Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his terror ties 

Yazigi, the most senior Christian cleric in the country, said the bombing was a direct consequence of government failure and demanded action rather than sympathy. “What is important to me — and I will say it — is that the government bears responsibility in full,” he said, drawing applause from hundreds of mourners attending the service.

The service was attended by Social Affairs Minister Hind Kabawat, the only Christian and the only woman in Syria’s new government.

The explosion occurred on June 22 in the Al-Douweila district of Damascus during a prayer service at Mar Elias Church, killing at least 25 and injuring 59 others. The assailant, identified as a member of the Islamic State terrorist group, entered the church, opened fire on worshipers, then detonated an explosive vest.

Graphic images shared by the Patriarchate showed blood-stained floors and human remains scattered inside the building. Security forces cordoned off the site to allow forensic and bomb disposal teams to examine the damage.

Syria’s Ministry of Health initially reported nine fatalities, but the number rose significantly by Monday, with Assistant Health Minister Hussein Al-Khatib photographed visiting survivors in hospitals.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab condemned the bombing online, calling it a “terrorist act” aimed at derailing efforts toward civil peace. He said the attack would not deter the state’s goals and vowed retaliation.

President al-Sharaa called the bombing a crime against all Syrians but avoided any specific mention of Christians or churches in his June 23 address. His government later said two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in follow-up security operations, including one who allegedly facilitated the bomber’s entry into the church, according to the newswire.

The United States condemned the attack. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called it “a brutal and cowardly attack” and urged the Syrian government to protect all citizens, including religious minorities. Bruce said Washington continued to support the government’s campaign against destabilizing forces in Syria and the region.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, also denounced the bombing as a “heinous crime,” while U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack wrote on social media that such acts of violence had no place in the country’s future.

The IS later claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement reported by The Telegraph. The terrorist group has a history of targeting Christians and other minorities, adhering to a sectarian ideology that views non-Sunni groups as legitimate enemies.

Two other churches in Damascus were targeted around the same time.

A suicide bomber attacked the Deir Ibrahim al-Khalil Monastery in Douweila, while other assailants targeted the Church of Our Lady in Maqsura, according to All Arab News.

Syria’s new transitional government, formed after the Assad regime's ousting in December, has pledged to combat terrorism more effectively. It dismantled several Assad-era intelligence units and has conducted joint raids with U.S. forces, targeting Islamic State operatives in regions such as Aleppo and Deir al-Zor.

Despite these efforts, intelligence officials say IS remains the Syrian government’s most persistent internal threat. U.S. military intelligence has tracked increased IS activity in urban areas like Hasakah, Kirkuk and Deir al-Zor, where weakened state presence has allowed the group to regroup and launch attacks.

The SITE Intelligence Group reported a decline in IS-claimed operations in Syria compared to the previous year, though analysts suggest this reflects a change in tactics rather than reduced capability.

Christians, who once comprised 10% of Syria’s pre-war population of 22 million, now number only a few hundred thousand. Most have fled the country since the start of the civil war, with many citing fear of persecution and insecurity.

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/syrian-christian-leader-slams-new-president-after-church-bombing.html