Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus has sent a message of condolence to Patriarch John X of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in response to the tragic events unfolding in Syria. The telegram was published on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“Having received distressing news about the tragic events in Syria and the deaths of many innocent people, including our fellow Christians, I wish to express my sincere support for Your Beatitude and the Apostolic Church of Great Antioch under your leadership. We fully support your efforts to protect the Christian community in Syria and to restore peace and unity in the country. I assure you, dear brother, that the Russian Orthodox Church, which has also known the bitter experience of suffering in its history, is fervently praying in this time of trial for our sister Church of Antioch and its faithful,” the message reads.
Earlier reports indicated that military actions in western Syria have resulted in the deaths of 830 civilians, the majority of whom belonged to the Alawite community, which makes up 12% of the country’s population.
The resurgence of armed supporters of former President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s coastal regions has posed the most serious challenge to the transitional government in Damascus since the change of power in December 2024.
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Photo: official website of the Russian Orthodox Church
Based on materials from TASS