Pope Leo XIV has expressed his profound sadness for the recent suicide attack that killed 25 persons and injured over 60 others at a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria.
The Pope expressed his sympathies and solidarity with those impacted by the tragedy in a message issued on June 24, 2025.
A little-known Sunni Muslim extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place during a Sunday service at Saint Elias Church.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, signed the letter from the Pope, which prayed for the injured and offered deep condolences to the relatives of the victims.
“His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and destruction caused by the attack on the Greek Orthodox church of Mar Elias in Damascus,” Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state of the Vatican, stated.
“He expresses heartfelt solidarity with all those affected by this tragedy,” the Italian cardinal, the second-highest ranking authority in the Catholic Church after the pope, made that statement.
