Christians of Syria

Early Christian sites include the house church of Dura-Europos (c. 240) and the chapels at Bab Sharqi and Bab Kisan in Damascus associated with Ananias and Paul. The Ancient Villages of Northern Syria (1st-7th c.) illustrate the transition from the pagan Roman world to Byzantine Christianity, and Resafa became a major pilgrimage centre of St Sergius.

Sources and details

Three patriarchates have their seat in Damascus: the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate (since 1959) and the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate. Other churches present are the Armenian Apostolic, Syriac Catholic, Maronite, Armenian Catholic, Chaldean, Latin, Assyrian Church of the East and Protestant churches. Aramaic survives in liturgy and in the Aramaic-speaking town of Maaloula.

Population estimates diverge: the U.S. government estimate is 10 percent, while other reports cited in the same 2023 report give about 2.5 percent; Open Doors, citing the World Christian Database, estimates about 579,000 (2.8 percent), down from about 2.2 million before the war. Churches were destroyed by the Islamic State, including in the Khabur valley (2015), and a suicide bombing struck the Mar Elias church in Dweila, Damascus, on 22 June 2025.

Sites connected with this community 9

• Church of St Mary (Mart Maryam), Tell NasriTell Nasri (Khabur), Hasakah · Churches & monasteries

  Khabur church blown up by IS in 2015.

• Church of Saint Simeon Stylites (Qal'at Sim'an)Mount Simeon, Aleppo · Churches & monasteries

  Pilgrimage church around the pillar of Simeon Stylites.

• Dead CitiesAleppo · Archaeological sites

  UNESCO Ancient Villages illustrating early village Christianity.

• Chapel of Saint AnaniasDamascus (Bab Sharqi), Damascus · Churches & monasteries

  Chapel venerated as the house of Ananias, where Paul was baptised.

• Chapel of Saint Paul (Bab Kisan)Damascus (Bab Kisan), Damascus · Churches & monasteries

  Chapel at Bab Kisan commemorating Paul's escape from Damascus.

• Mar Elias Church, Dweila (Damascus)Dweila, Damascus · Churches & monasteries

  Greek Orthodox church in Dweila struck by a suicide bombing on 22 June 2025.

• Dura-Europos house church (site)Dura-Europos (Salhiyah), Deir ez-Zor · Churches & monasteries

  Earliest identified Christian house church (c. 240).

• ResafaRaqqa · Archaeological sites

  Sergiopolis, major Byzantine pilgrimage centre of St Sergius.

• MaaloulaRif Dimashq · Archaeological sites

  Christian town in the Qalamoun with Mar Taqla and Mar Sarkis.

Sources (10)

1. U.S. Department of State, 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Syria 2024
2. Minority Rights Group International, Syria (country page)
3. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Ancient Villages of Northern Syria
4. Wikipedia, Christianity in Syria (secondary pointer)
5. Wikipedia, Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch (secondary pointer)
6. Wikipedia, Melkite Greek Catholic Church (secondary pointer; Holy See figures 2008)
7. Armenian Assembly of America, List of Assyrian, Armenian and other churches destroyed in Syria updated 2021-07-12
8. Wikipedia, Resafa (secondary pointer)
9. Vatican News, Syria: Orthodox church bombing in Damascus (Saint Elijah) June 2025
10. National Catholic Reporter, 'Suicide bomb attack on Syrian church kills at least 20, injures dozens' June 2025