In an interview with CSI, Bishop Georges Assadourian speaks about the hope Christians in Syria have as part of the body of Christ, even while they face an uncertain future under new Muslim rulers.
Watch his video message
Translated transcript:
I am Bishop Georges Assadourian, Bishop of the Armenian Catholics in Damascus.
First, I would like to say: THANK YOU to all those who help us, especially you (CSI), who are always by our side.
We are children of the resurrection, children of hope. Christ has taught us that we must always have hope for the future—hope in the priestly mission, hope in helping the poor, and hope in being with our people, especially with our faithful fellow Christians. A Christian who believes in the resurrection of Jesus should not fear or think that life ends this way. Christians have the Gospel, sacred books, and saints who help them persevere through life’s challenges.
The most important thing is that we have the will to continue living and to fulfill the mission God has entrusted to us: to be witnesses of His Word and His Gospel.
Regarding changes in the country, there have certainly been significant shifts following the departure of President Bashar al-Assad. A new governmental structure has emerged, but we feel lost—we don’t know what is happening or how things are unfolding. We sense a lack of governance and leadership; there are no clear points of reference. For example, if someone faces a problem or needs to file a complaint, they don’t know which office or person to turn to. This change has been ongoing for about three months now, and we continue to suffer alongside our people amidst numerous daily struggles.
Feeling lost has distanced us from what we call “systems,” “laws,” or “constitution.” There is much talk about a new system and constitution being established—one that envisions an Islamic religious government with a Muslim president. This does not bring us peace. We now see that after the fall of the government, Muslim forces have grown stronger, their presence more evident, and their anger increasingly visible—not only among themselves but also toward us Christians, for example.
Previously, we lived in a secular country; now we live in a religious one dominated by Islam. This frightens us because we wonder where this will lead us. Yesterday it was the turn of the Alawites—they were killed—and today Christians ask: “Will it be our turn next? Will they come to attack us?”
I will be honest with you, we have young men protecting the city. Last night, they stopped a gang stealing from houses and cars. But how long can we endure this?
Our relationship with your wonderful organization feels like immense support for us and our faithful community. You always think of us and stand by us. A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to you because you make us feel that there are people who care about us. As Christians in the Middle East, we will remain here to bear witness to our faith. But this Christian testimony cannot continue alone; it must be supported by people outside our country who can help those within persevere in life.
This relationship has strengthened and solidified since I became head of the diocese here in Damascus. Truly, you have never left us—not even for a month or an hour—to feel abandoned. The poor whom we help and our ability to be close to them are thanks to your support because you stand by us and assist us day by day.
The challenges are immense, but you walk with us as we face them together—in hope. You do not let us fall, nor do we allow others to fall either. We remain close to our people because you are close to us—and this gives us strength.
We want to pray and need your prayers and donations. A thousand thanks from every sick person’s heart and every poor person who benefits from your generosity. Immense gratitude goes out to all those who support and help us—whether through donations or simply thinking about us—because we know when you think about us, you pray for us.
This is what we desire most: your prayers for us. And we promise that we will continue on this path because we have hope in the Church, hope in God, and hope in the universal Church—and especially hope in you because you are with us, and therefore, we do not fear.
Thank you so much!
To learn more about the government transition unfolding in Syria and recent violence against Christians and other religious minorities, visit our Syria page.
