EU Bishops Call for More Support for Syrian Christians

Europe needs to take concrete action to protect Syrian Christians, Catholic Bishop Mariano Crociata, president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, urged in a statement issued Wednesday. The call comes as Syria’s Christians face intensifying persecution following the overthrow of dictator Bashar Assad in December.

“The erosion of Christian communities would be a tragic loss not only for Syria but also for the stability of the region and the world,” Crociata said. He added that Christians “have been an integral and essential part of the history and culture of the region for centuries” and are now facing struggles to maintain their identity.

The Vatican wishes Europe to increase influence in Syria, in part to solidify its power in the Middle East.

Catholic revival: Support for the Catholic Church outside Europe has grown in recent years. 2024 was a year of international outreach: Pope Francis’s longest journey was an 11-day trip through Asia and Oceania.

Inroads: With Assad’s ouster, Europe—especially Germany—is scrambling to support Syria. But this is far from a gesture of goodwill.

Psalm 83 foretells of an alliance between a Catholic-empowered Germany and numerous moderate Arab states, including Syria. They will join forces against Western enemies. Germany is making inroads into the Middle East, and the Vatican is right beside it, setting the stage for this alliance to be formed.

Learn more: Read “A Mysterious Alliance.”