Explosion Damages St. George Cathedral in Syria During Feast of the Cross
An explosive device struck St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Hama, Syria, on the evening of September 13, causing significant material damage while Christians were celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. No injuries were reported, but the incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of Christian communities in the country.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Hama confirmed that an explosion occurred beside the cathedral, damaging the building but leaving worshippers unharmed. Christian monitoring groups, including the Assyrian Monitor for Human Rights, reported that two masked men riding a motorcycle threw the explosive device into the cathedral’s courtyard before fleeing the scene.
According to SyriacPress and other Christian organizations, the attack was aimed at spreading fear among the local Christian population. The Assyrian Monitor condemned the bombing as an assault on a place of worship and called for an urgent, transparent investigation, the prosecution of those responsible, and stronger protection for churches and their congregations.
The incident was reportedly followed by hostile anti-Christian reactions on social media. The Syrian Christian Observatory said it received explicit threats after publicizing the attack, including a message stating, “Worse and more bitter is yet to come, O worshippers of the Cross.” Open Doors also documented online comments celebrating the attack and using derogatory language against Christians.
Meanwhile, Syria’s state news agency SANA acknowledged that a stun grenade had exploded in Hama’s al-Madina neighborhood, causing property damage without casualties. However, its report did not identify St. George Cathedral as the target or mention the accounts of masked motorcycle assailants, prompting criticism from Christian organizations, which argued that the omission erased the religious identity of the attack and its Christian victims.
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