The Easter sermon at Al Zeitoun cathedral in Damascus drew parallels between Jesus's Resurrection and the rise of a new Syria following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad. Despite a newfound freedom, the uncertain future of the nation raises concerns, particularly among religious minorities. While some Syrians embrace the leadership of former Al Qaeda member Ahmed al-Shara, who promotes an inclusive governance, the historic protection felt under al-Assad brings anxiety for many. The Easter celebrations became a benchmark for evaluating how this new Islamic leadership would respect the Christian community's traditions and freedoms.
The new Syria, liberated Syria, is still rising to its feet, but what that new nation will come to look like is an open question.
For Syria's historically persecuted Christians, Easter was a test to see how the new government would handle one of Christianity's most important holidays.
Collection
[
|
...
]