Orthodox hierarchs in Latin America make a statement on the terrorist attack at Mar Elias church in Damascus

DECR Communication Service, 04.07.2025.

The hierarchs of the local Orthodox Churches in Latin America signed a joint statement condemning the terrorist attack committed on June 22, 2025, on the Orthodox church of the Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) in the Syrian capital of Damascus.

The statement was initiated by the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and Argentina, the Telegram channel of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Diocese of Argentina and South America reported on July 4.

The document was signed, with a feeling of sorrow and unity with the Christian victims and their families and the persecuted Christians all over the world, by the archpastors of four Patriarchates, namely of Antioch, Constantinople, Moscow, including the hierarch of the Russian Church outside of Russia, and Serbia.

The statement emphasizes that terrorism is unacceptable in any form, nature or dimension and must have no place in the world that is considered civilized in the 21st century. "This is an attack against God and people, the most brutal negation of humanity and God, an attack that has nothing to do with normal spirituality and cuts deeply the heart of the Creator and of all living creatures. The Church responds to this barbarity with the light of faith, the power of love and the firm hope for a reconciled world. We must all raise our voices and strongly condemn what happened in Mar Elias, because terrorism attacked peaceful people whose only intention was to pray and call for peace all over the world.”

The statement ends with the words: “May the Merciful God protect Christians in Syria and the Middle East fr om the grips of terrorism, protect all the people in the world and the noble people of Argentina from any form of violence and aggression. May the light of the peace of Christ overcome the darkness of hatred, and may love and justice flourish wh ere there others sow death and division.”

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Orthodox hierarchs in Latin America make a statement on the terrorist attack at Mar Elias church in Damascus

Patriarch

Department Chairman

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Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons