Bashar al-Assad: Syrian Christians Celebrate Christmas Mass For First Time Since Regime Overthrow (Photos)

On Tuesday, December, 24, many Syrian Christians came out to attend Christmas Eve services for the first time since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

The now ruling Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, HTS, in Syria had after overthrowing Assad pledged to protect the rights of the country’s religious minorities.

Reuters reports that the Christmas service was held amid tight security due to concerns of violence against Christian sites.

According to the report, the pews of Lady of Damascus Church in Syria’s capital was filled with a mixed congregation of young and old, holding candles as hymns filled the air and echoed through the church.

Hundreds of protesters in Damascus had gathered to denounce an incident in which a Christmas tree was burned in the northern countryside of Hama governorate in western-central Syria hours before the service.

Carrying wooden crosses, they chanted “We are your soldiers, Jesus”, “With blood and soul, we sacrifice for Jesus,” and “The Syrian people are one.”

Protester Laila Farkouh said: “We are protesting to demand our rights and denounce… The burning of the Christmas tree, and attacks on churches. We do not accept this.”

New Syrian ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa, had told christians and other groups that they will be safe in a country run by his HTS, a former affiliate of al Qaeda.

Although himself a former leader of the Sunni Muslim Islamist group, which sees Christians as infidels, Sharaa has quickly shed his jihadist uniform and switched to business suits in recent appearances.

But many Christians have yet to be convinced. The Christmas tree burning was one of several incidents targeting Christians since the fall of the regime.