Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, John X Yazigi, on Tuesday publicly held the Syrian government responsible for the deadly attack on the Church of Saint Mar Elias in Damascus.
The Patriarch’s remarks came during a mass funeral service at the Church of the Holy Cross, where the coffins of nine victims were placed, adorned with white flowers. The ceremony was attended by a large number of mourners, including both officials and members of the public.
Addressing those gathered, Patriarch John X said, “With all love and respect, Mr President Ahmed al-Sharaa, yesterday you phoned to offer your condolences. But that is not enough. We appreciate the call, but the crime that occurred is far more serious than that.”
He added, “What matters to me, and I will say it frankly, is that the government bears full responsibility for what happened in Saint Mar Elias Church.”
Earlier in the day, Patriarch John X received the United Nations Special Envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, at the Patriarchal House in Damascus. Pedersen conveyed the condolences of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the families of the victims, emphasizing the international organization’s solidarity with all those affected by the attack.
The UN envoy expressed deep sorrow over the incident, which the United Nations had previously described as “horrific and painful,” according to a statement issued by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate on Facebook.
Patriarch John X underlined that the attack on Mar Elias church was not random, stating, “This was not a case of indiscriminate violence, it was directed against an authentic and integral part of the Syrian people.”aa
Meanwhile, Syrian Ministry of Interior spokesman Nour al-Din al-Baba announced on Tuesday, June 24, that security authorities had dismantled the cell responsible for the bombing at St. Elias Church in the Duwayla neighborhood of Damascus.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, al-Baba said the cell was linked to ISIS and had no ties to any local advocacy groups.
He explained that the security operation, conducted in coordination with the General Intelligence Service, took place in the Damascus countryside and led to the arrest of all cell members. Weapons and explosives were also seized during the raids.
Interrogations revealed that the cell was led by Muhammad Abd al-Ilah al-Jumaili, known as Abu Imad al-Jumaili, a Syrian national who lives in the Hajar al-Aswad area of Damascus, previously referred to within ISIS as the “governor of the desert.”
Al-Baba also disclosed that the suicide bomber responsible for the church attack, along with another individual arrested before carrying out an intended bombing at the Sayyida Zeinab shrine in Damascus countryside, had infiltrated the capital from al-Hawl camp through the Syrian desert. Their entry was reportedly facilitated by al-Jumaili, exploiting a security vacuum during the initial stages of the capital’s liberation. Neither of the suicide bombers held Syrian citizenship.
