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Syrian President hails pope Francis for solidarity in ‘darkest moments’

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa

24 April 2025 14:03 (UTC +04:00)

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa paid tribute to Pope Francis, saying he had supported the Syrian people in “their darkest moments”, APA reports citing Al Arabiya.

The Argentine pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88, “supported the Syrian people in their darkest moments, constantly raising his voice against the violence and injustice they faced,” al-Sharaa said in a statement on Wednesday.

Syria is home to a majority Sunni Muslim population, but also a sizeable Christian minority from several denominations, as well as other religious minorities.

Extending condolences to Catholics, al-Sharaa said of Francis: “His calls transcended political boundaries, and his legacy of moral courage and solidarity will remain alive in the hearts of many people in our country.”

Syria’s Christian community has shrunk from around one million before the war to under 300,000 due to waves of displacement and emigration.

The capital Damascus is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world but its Christian population dwindled to only about two percent, the Vatican said last year.

While the war began as a crackdown on peaceful protests, religion and ethnicity swiftly came into focus as groups battling each other became increasingly radicalized.