{"id":52743,"date":"2025-06-30T15:30:07","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T15:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/?p=52743"},"modified":"2025-07-02T09:07:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T09:07:21","slug":"pope-leo-xiv-deeply-saddened-by-islamist-attack-on-a-church-in-damascus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/pope-leo-xiv-deeply-saddened-by-islamist-attack-on-a-church-in-damascus\/","title":{"rendered":"Paus Leo XIV \u2018diep bedroefd\u2019 door islamistische aanslag op een kerk in Damascus"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pps-series-post-details pps-series-post-details-variant-classic pps-series-post-details-67899\" data-series-id=\"1057\"><div class=\"pps-series-meta-content\"><div class=\"pps-series-meta-text\">This entry is part 1 of 14 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/series\/islam-satans-religion\/\">Islam: Satan's Religion<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px;\">\n  <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/popeleocorpuschristi062425.jpg?ssl=1\" style=\"display: block; margin: auto; max-width: 100%\" \/><br \/>\n  <span style=\"text-align: right; font-style: italic;\">Pope Leo XIV waves to those gathered for Mass on the solemnity of Corpus Christi on Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Rome. \/ Credit: Vatican Media<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<p>ACI Prensa Staff, Jun 24, 2025 \/ 14:47 pm (CNA).<\/p>\n<p>Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday said he was \u201cdeeply saddened\u201d by the terrorist attack on a church in Damascus, Syria, and assured his prayers for those mourning the 25 people who were killed.<\/p>\n<p>Op zondag 22 juni, het hoogfeest van Sacramentsdag, meldden ooggetuigen dat twee gewapende mannen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/264933\/church-leaders-react-to-deadly-attack-on-mar-elias-church-in-damascus\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">de Grieks-orthodoxe kerk bestormden<\/a> of St. Elias in Douailah on the outskirts of the Syrian capital.<\/p>\n<p>One of them remained outside, firing at worshippers and into the church\u2019s stained-glass windows, eyewitnesses said, while the second tried to enter the church and detonate a grenade, according to ACI MENA, CNA\u2019s Arabic-language news partner.<\/p>\n<p>Two parishioners intervened and managed to wrestle the explosive device away from the second man, preventing an immediate detonation. However, while being dragged outside, the attacker activated his suicide belt, resulting in a massive explosion.<\/p>\n<p>The attack left at least 25 dead and a total of 63 wounded.<\/p>\n<p>The Holy See Press Office released a telegram of condolence from Pope Leo XIV on June 24 signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.<\/p>\n<p>In the message, the pontiff expressed his profound sadness after receiving news of \u201cthe loss of life and the destruction caused by the attack on the Greek Orthodox Church of Mar Elias in Damascus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In light of the brutal attack, the first since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the Holy Father also expressed \u201chis heartfelt solidarity with all those affected.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of our heavenly Father, His Holiness likewise prays for those who mourn their loss,\u201d the telegram read.<\/p>\n<p>Leo XIV also assured his prayers \u201cfor the recovery of the injured\u201d and invoked \u201cthe Almighty\u2019s gifts of consolation, healing, and peace upon the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Dit verhaal <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aciprensa.com\/noticias\/114625\/leon-xiv-expresa-tristeza-por-ataque-islamista-en-iglesia-de-damasco-siria\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>werd voor het eerst gepubliceerd <\/em><\/a><em>door ACI Prensa, de Spaanstalige nieuwspartner van CNA. Het is vertaald en bewerkt door CNA.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/264971\/pope-leo-xiv-deeply-saddened-by-islamist-attack-on-a-church-in-damascus\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/264971\/pope-leo-xiv-deeply-saddened-by-islamist-attack-on-a-church-in-damascus<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pps-series-post-details pps-series-post-details-variant-classic pps-series-post-details-67899 pps-series-meta-excerpt\" data-series-id=\"1057\"><div class=\"pps-series-meta-content\"><div class=\"pps-series-meta-text\">This entry is part 1 of 14 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/series\/islam-satans-religion\/\">Islam: Satan's Religion<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><p>Pope Leo XIV waves to those gathered for Mass on the solemnity of Corpus Christi on Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Rome. \/ Credit: Vatican Media ACI Prensa Staff, Jun 24, 2025 \/ 14:47 pm (CNA). Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday said he was \u201cdeeply saddened\u201d by the terrorist attack on a church in Damascus, [\u2026]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":52741,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[1064],"tags":[],"series":[1057],"class_list":["post-52743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-islam","series-islam-satans-religion"],"mb":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/CNA_LOGOredblk-163.png?fit=2692%2C752&quality=69&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":52863,"url":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/pope-leo-xiv-expresses-his-closeness-to-persecuted-christians-in-the-middle-east\/","url_meta":{"origin":52743,"position":0},"title":"Pope Leo XIV expresses his closeness to persecuted Christians in the Middle East","author":"Christian Pure Team","date":"juli 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Pope Leo XIV waves to pilgrims at the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square, Wednesday, June 25, 2025 \/ Credit: Daniel Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez\/CNA ACI Prensa Staff, Jun 25, 2025 \/ 13:54 pm (CNA). Pope Leo XIV expressed his closeness to persecuted Christians during the Wednesday general audience on June 25,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Islam: Satan's Religion&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Islam: Satan's Religion","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/category\/islam\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pope Leo XIV expresses his closeness to persecuted Christians in the Middle East","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-expresses-his-closeness-to-persecuted-Christians-in-the-Middle-East.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-expresses-his-closeness-to-persecuted-Christians-in-the-Middle-East.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-expresses-his-closeness-to-persecuted-Christians-in-the-Middle-East.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-expresses-his-closeness-to-persecuted-Christians-in-the-Middle-East.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52470,"url":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/pope-leo-xiv-after-u-s-bombings-in-iran-humanity-cries-out-and-pleads-for-peace\/","url_meta":{"origin":52743,"position":1},"title":"Pope Leo XIV after U.S. bombings in Iran: \u2018Humanity cries out and pleads for peace\u2019","author":"Christian Pure Team","date":"juni 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Pope Leo XIV speaks to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Sunday Angelus on June 22, 2025. \/ Credit: Vatican Media Vatican City, Jun 22, 2025 \/ 08:22 am (CNA). Reacting to what he called the \u201calarming news\u201d of U.S. airstrikes on nuclear facilities in Iran, Pope Leo\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christian News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christian News","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/category\/christian-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pope Leo XIV after U.S. bombings in Iran: \u2018Humanity cries out and pleads for peace\u2019","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pope-Leo-XIV-after-U.S.-bombings-in-Iran-%E2%80%98Humanity-cries-out-and-pleads-for-peace.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pope-Leo-XIV-after-U.S.-bombings-in-Iran-%E2%80%98Humanity-cries-out-and-pleads-for-peace.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pope-Leo-XIV-after-U.S.-bombings-in-Iran-%E2%80%98Humanity-cries-out-and-pleads-for-peace.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pope-Leo-XIV-after-U.S.-bombings-in-Iran-%E2%80%98Humanity-cries-out-and-pleads-for-peace.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52145,"url":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/pope-leo-xiv-visits-vatican-radio-transmitters-proposed-solar-energy-site\/","url_meta":{"origin":52743,"position":2},"title":"Pope Leo XIV visits Vatican Radio transmitters, proposed solar energy site","author":"Christian Pure Team","date":"juli 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Pope Leo XIV visits Vatican Radio\u2019s transmission center on June 19, 2025, in Santa Maria di Galeria, Italy. \/ Credit: Vatican Media Vatican City, Jun 19, 2025 \/ 15:33 pm (CNA). Pope Leo XIV visited the Vatican\u2019s radio transmitter station in Santa Maria di Galeria, Italy, on Thursday and thanked\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christian News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christian News","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/category\/christian-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pope Leo XIV visits Vatican Radio transmitters, proposed solar energy site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-visits-Vatican-Radio-transmitters-proposed-solar-energy-site.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-visits-Vatican-Radio-transmitters-proposed-solar-energy-site.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-visits-Vatican-Radio-transmitters-proposed-solar-energy-site.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Pope-Leo-XIV-visits-Vatican-Radio-transmitters-proposed-solar-energy-site.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52809,"url":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/solemn-farewell-for-victims-of-damascus-church-bombing-amid-anger-at-government-silence\/","url_meta":{"origin":52743,"position":3},"title":"Solemn farewell for victims of Damascus church bombing amid anger at government silence","author":"Christian Pure Team","date":"november 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Mourners gather at the Church of the Holy Cross in Qassaa, Damascus, on June 24, 2025, around white caskets of some of the worshippers who lost their lives in a terrorist attack at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria\u2019s capital on Sunday, June 22, 2025. \/\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christian News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christian News","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/category\/christian-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Solemn farewell for victims of Damascus church bombing amid anger at government silence","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Solemn-farewell-for-victims-of-Damascus-church-bombing-amid-anger-at-government-silence.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Solemn-farewell-for-victims-of-Damascus-church-bombing-amid-anger-at-government-silence.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Solemn-farewell-for-victims-of-Damascus-church-bombing-amid-anger-at-government-silence.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/christianpure.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Solemn-farewell-for-victims-of-Damascus-church-bombing-amid-anger-at-government-silence.webp?fit=800%2C533&quality=75&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":68253,"url":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/pope-leo-xiv-celebrates-mass-in-suffrage-for-deceased-prelates\/","url_meta":{"origin":52743,"position":4},"title":"Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in suffrage for deceased prelates","author":"Christian Pure Team","date":"november 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Pope Leo XIV leads the Church\u2019s commemoration for his papal predecessor and 142 other bishops who died in the past year on Nov. 3, 2025, in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica at the Vatican. \/ Credit: Vatican Media Vatican City, Nov 3, 2025 \/ 11:04 am (CNA). 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