Damascus sparkles with festive Christmas lights this season, while authorities enforce tight security measures to ensure safety. Streets glow with holiday cheer, blending celebration with vigilance across the historic city.
Christmas in Damascus: Bright Lights and Heightened Security
Festive Christmas lights brighten the streets of Damascus’s Old City, yet government forces maintain strict patrols as security concerns weigh heavily on Syria’s Christian community.
Many recall the tragic June attack on Saint Elias Church in the capital, where a shooting and suicide bombing killed 25 people and injured dozens more. “People are going home early and feel scared,” said 26-year-old university student Tala Shamoun, who was visiting a Christmas market with friends and family.
Damascus has experienced various crimes, including robberies and kidnappings, but Shamoun described the church attack as “the greatest tragedy.” Authorities attributed the assault to the Daesh group, though a smaller militant organization also claimed responsibility.
The Islamist groups that overthrew Bashar Al Assad last year have pledged to protect coexistence among all religious communities in Syria, promising inclusive participation in the country’s transition.
However, sectarian violence has continued: earlier this year, Syria’s Alawite regions experienced massacres, and the Druze-majority areas in the south were struck by intense clashes.
Security plan
Interior ministry personnel have been stopping pedestrians and checking motorbikes throughout the Old City.
At a main entrance to the district, an armed government security officer held a walkie-talkie and a map showing the locations of deployed forces.“We’ve set up a security plan covering multiple districts and areas across the capital to ensure everyone’s safety,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“The state’s responsibility is to protect all citizens, both Christian and Muslim, and today we are fulfilling that duty by safeguarding churches and ensuring festive celebrations are secure,” he added.
Former ruler Bashar Al Assad, an Alawite himself, had long portrayed himself as a guardian of minority groups, who faced attacks during the Syrian conflict, some claimed by jihadist factions.Syria’s Christian population is estimated to have fallen from around one million in 2011, at the start of the war, to roughly 300,000 today, with many fleeing abroad.
In the Old City, where a small but active Christian community lives alongside historic churches, red ornaments hang from trees, shopkeepers have decorated their stores, and street vendors sell warm roasted chestnuts.Local “neighborhood committees” are also helping bolster security, with dozens of Christians coordinating with government forces to protect churches.
Syria deserves joy
Fuad Farhat, 55, from the Bab Touma neighborhood, was overseeing the placement of several unarmed Christian volunteers dressed in black, equipped with walkie-talkies, stationed outside the churches.
While some worry that large Christmas crowds could increase security risks, Farhat said the extra precautions make people “feel safer and more confident about going out.”
“We are taking active steps to protect those celebrating in Christian areas and prevent any incidents, working closely with security forces,” he added.
University student Loris Aasaf, 20, was enjoying the festive mood with friends.
“Syria deserves happiness, and we need moments of joy and hope for a better future,” she said.“All communities used to join in our celebrations, and we hope this continues in the coming years to help rebuild Syria,” she added.
Near Saint Elias Church, the site of June’s deadly attack, government forces blocked entrances and exits with metal barriers, and heavily armed personnel screened all visitors.Church attendees illuminated a tree adorned with stars featuring the names of those killed in June. “This Christmas is special because of the pain and grief we have endured,” said 44-year-old housewife Abeer Hanna.
“The security measures are essential because fear is still present,” she added.
Nearby, Hanaa Masoud lit a candle in memory of her husband, Boutros Bashara, and other relatives who lost their lives in the attack.“If we go to church and something happens, where can we feel safe?” she asked, holding back tears.
