(Photo and story from Voice of the Martyrs, “VOM”, persecution.com, 7/9/25) Syria has suffered through a brutal civil war between government forces and anti-government Muslim factions. During the conflict, which began in 2011, more than 750,000 Christians fled the country. Those who remained in Syria endured not only horrific violence but also restrictions similar to those seen in other Muslim nations throughout the region. But since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, some Christian brothers and sisters in Syria have experienced freedom to practice their faith in ways not previously possible.
While the reopening of churches and relative freedom to practice their faith openly are hopeful developments for Christians in Syria, they remain cautious, still under the oppressive shadow of the new government’s Islamist ideology.
Abdul, who serves a church located near one of Syria’s borders, grew up as a Muslim but came to faith in Christ in 2005. In 2014, he and his family fled to a neighboring country after members of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) attacked his village, killing more than 6,000 people. He remained there for five months, experiencing fellowship with other Christians for the first time.
“Although I had been a Christian for 10 years,” he said, “I had never attended a church or seen how Christians worship and pray together. This was a turning point for me. I learned how to pray, how to worship, and how to practice my faith in a community.”
Abdul continued to grow in his faith, eventually taking bold steps to share it with others in Syria. You can read more about his story and about persecuted Christians in Syria by clicking on the following link, and when you do, you also will be able to financially help, VOM and Syrian Christians:
Please pray for our persecuted Christian family members in Syria. Though they face an uncertain future, they continue to stand boldly for Christ.
| “I am ready, with God’s help, to love those who persecute the Lord’s work and his people. No matter how much we try to protect ourselves, God is the one who watches over us. I trust that he is with us.” – A Christian whose church was closed by Assad. |