‘Everything changed’: On the ground in Damascus, Syria

As the world continues to grapple with what the new leadership in Syria means for people inside the country, it’s easy to miss what’s happening to minority groups such as Christians. Much of the coverage of the rapid ouster of the Assad regime has focused on the joy at the overthrow of a tyrant—and the uncertainty that lies under the authority of Syria’s new rulers.

To find out what is taking place on the ground, Leila*, an expert on Syria’s context who lives in a neighboring country—and who is affiliated with Open Doors—was recently able to speak with Hoda*, a Christian in Damascus. Hoda, who has remained in Damascus since the beginning of the crisis, describes those early days with disbelief and confusion. “Even now, the conflicting information blurs our minds,” she says.

(The following is an edited translation of their conversation, with some additions to help clarify and contextualize Hoda’s comments):

Q: Can you take us back to when the events began? How did you process what was happening?
"At the beginning, I couldn’t fully grasp what was happening. It felt surreal—a kind of denial. I was hearing about the church arranging buses to help Christians leave Aleppo, but at the same time, [there was conflicting] news. Some reports said rebels had taken Hama, while government TV assured us everything was under control. It was chaos. I had to call friends in other cities just to make sense of it all, but even then, the confusion remained."

Q: Was this escalation expected?
"Not at all. Over the past four years, despite the economic crisis, we had a sense of relative peace. But this? It was sudden—just two days, and everything changed after more than a decade of fighting."

Q: How do you feel about the current situation now?
"I feel terror and insecurity. I fear the unknown. Three days have passed, but to me, it still feels like the first day.”

While Hoda has heard reassurances that Christians would not be harmed, her heart worries otherwise. Her fear is leading her to consider supporting previously unimaginable options, like a division of the country, if only to “cut losses.”

She also points out the underlying political tensions: “For the rebels, their heart is not to protect Christians. This is all very political and could be a facade, and I don’t feel at peace with this.”

Q: How has your faith sustained you during these challenges, and what role has the Church played?
"I’ll admit, I was glued to following the news more than anything else at first. But we had Christian friends who reached out to pray and read psalms with us. That gave us some comfort.”

Hoda also mentions that the Syrian church was ready to receive displaced Christians, but she feels its role in providing broader support has been cautious.

Q: What are the greatest needs for the Christian community right now?
"We need security. We need reassurance. We need to know that we can still worship the Lord freely—go to church, attend Sunday school with no possible threat."

Hoda also emphasizes the scarcity of basic resources like water and the high cost of living, which came on top of already dire situation. “The essentials are slipping further out of reach,” she says.

Q: How do you explain the fear Christians feel today?
"Personally, I’ve never felt threatened in my own Christian region. But I know this isn’t true for other parts of Syria, especially in Muslim-majority areas where Christians don’t enjoy the same safety. Some even fear walking in public.”

Hoda speaks cautiously but acknowledges the – arguably premature – cultural shift she’s observing. “Even greetings on the street feel different now. It’s as if the true face of this change is hiding behind a mask. During the years of war, it was there—but now it’s being concealed.” It’s also been reported that in certain parts of Syria, some Christians are scared in their houses and refuse to go out, while non-Christians are out in the streets, living a normal life.

Q: In the midst of all this, what gives you hope?
"Hope feels weak … I pray that this talk of openness and tolerance is real. But if I’m honest, I wish I could leave Syria. I don’t want to live in a country on the [brink of disaster].”

For Hoda, hope is hard to hold onto. She describes Syria as a “political battleground,” with no reassurance from my stakeholder about the future. However, she continues to pray and lean on her faith, even as she dreams of finding peace elsewhere.

Q: What message would you like to share with the global Christian community? How can they stand in solidarity with you?
"We need your prayers and support. We need to feel that we’re not forgotten."

Hoda stresses the importance of security, the ability to worship freely, and the provision of basic needs like water and affordable living. “We also need clarity—what will the position of the rebels be toward Christian organizations, churches and  other entities like Christian schools.? It’s still so uncertain.”

Please continue to pray with your brothers and sisters in Syria. Ask God to bring peace and that the new leadership of Syria would hold to their promises to protect all people, regardless of faith. 

*Name changed to protect security. 

Photo: Syrian Rebels, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army forces have taken control in Hama, west-central Syria. Anti government forces patrol the Syrian city of Salamiyah in the central Hama governorate, on December 7, 2024. Rebel forces pressing a lightning offensive in Syria aim to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's rule. Photo by Ugur Yildirim/DIA Images/Abaca/Sipa USA(Sipa via AP Images)