Archbishop says Christians have a role to play in the new Syria

In Syria, Archbishop Joseph Tobjie of Aleppo says Christians must play a role in building an inclusive and democratic society after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian leader’s forced departure followed a surprise offensive across the country by rebel groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is associated with Islamist groups.

“From a security perspective, things are relatively calm here in Aleppo,” Tobjie told Vatican News.

“However, isolated acts of violence persist, and in Damascus, the situation appears far worse. Sadly, weapons remain widespread, even among children. Seeing a child carry a rifle is something no one should ever witness,” he said.

The Maronite archbishop said Syria needs to be stabilized, both politically and socially. He expressed cautious optimism about the intentions of the rebel groups involved in Assad’s removal moving forward.

“The HTS group has made promises to respect all communities, including minorities, and so far, their actions are aligned with their words,” Tobjie told Vatican News.

“They treat us Christians with respect, and there is no form of persecution at present,” the archbishop claimed.

“Women, for example, are not forced to wear the veil, and there have been no significant social changes,” he said.

“I cannot be too optimistic nor too pessimistic. We must walk prudently, observing how the situation evolves daily,” he continued.

It has been reported a mass grave that could contain the remains of thousands of people has been found outside Syria’s capital, Damascus.

The site is at al-Qutayfah, located 25 miles north of the capital, and is just one of several mass graves identified across the country believed to hold possibly hundreds of thousands of bodies.

Assad and his father Hafez, who preceded him as president and died in 2000, are accused of turning Syria into a dictatorial and murderous country.

Ugur Umit Ungor, professor of genocide studies at the University of Amsterdam, told Al Jazeera these mass graves “a reflection of the killing machine of the Assad regime.”

“The true scale of exactly how many mass graves are out there is only to be found in the archives of the Assad regime, that’s why it is absolutely crucial that they are handled in a professional way and that people don’t go pillaging them,” he said.

Tobjie spoke to Vatican News about the promises made by Syria’s interim Prime Minister, Mohammed Al-Bashir, who pledged to protect minorities, women, and children, and to restore justice across the nation.

“These promises cannot just be propaganda. Without tangible progress, Syria will struggle to gain international recognition,” the archbishop said.

“The world is watching Syria now,” he said.

Christians made up about 10 percent of the pre-war Syrian population but now make up less than 2 percent, falling from 1.5 million in 2011 to just 300,000 in 2022.

The archbishop said Syrian Christians need to take an active role in shaping the country’s future.

“We Christians cannot stand by as spectators,” he said.

He admitted Christians are not well-prepared for political engagement.

“For over 50 years, we were silenced and sidelined. But now is the time to rise to the challenge. We must lay the foundations for a state rooted in the common good, one that guarantees the dignity and rights of all citizens,” Tobjie said.

“We are a resilient people. We have survived 13 years of war, earthquakes, the pandemic, and famine. It is not that we are used to catastrophe—no one can ever get used to such pain—but our faith sustains us,” he said.

The archbishop also thanked European bishops in his interview with Vatican News.

“For us, it is vital not to feel alone. We thank Pope Francis for his unwavering calls for peace and for encouraging a peaceful and just process,” he said.