Patriarch John X of Antioch: Christians will not leave the Middle East

Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East on New Year’s Eve reaffirmed the determination of Christians to remain in the Middle East despite ongoing conflicts and pressures. His call for peace came in Damascus amid reports of the prevention of a major terrorist attack in Aleppo targeting Christian communities.

According to the website of the Patriarchate of Antioch, Patriarch John X led the Divine Liturgy at the Mariamite Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Damascus on December 31, 2025. In his sermon, he strongly affirmed the inviolability of the Christian presence in the region, emphasizing that the Middle East is «the land of Divine Incarnation» and not just a territory, and the Church intends to remain here.

«We are not leaving. We are Antiochians and we will remain in our land,» the Patriarch was quoted as saying by the source, emphasizing the community’s deep attachment to its historical heritage. His Beatitude called for lasting peace in Syria, Lebanon and throughout the Middle East, offering prayers for the missing Metropolitans John Ibrahim and Paul Yazigi of Aleppo, as well as for all victims of violence.

Recall that on June 22, 2025, during the Sunday Service in the Church in honor of the Holy Prophet of God Elijah in Damascus (Syria), a member of the radical Islamist organization «Islamic State» committed a bloody terrorist attack that killed 22 people. The terrorist stormed into the temple, opened fire on people, and after shooting blew himself up with an explosive device attached to his body.