Syriac Catholic Bishop Gregoire Melki of Jerusalem called it a sad situation that is causing great concern. Patriarch Louis Sako of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Baghdad said Christians remain fearful and continue to flee Iraq.
“It is a very sad situation,” Melki said. “We are very anxious when we remember what happened to the Christians in Iraq. We fear the same thing will happen to the Christians in Syria.
“Those who can, escape.”
Although the situation is dire for all Syrians, it is even more so for the Christians because they are a minority, and in such chaotic situations it is always the minority which is attacked first, Melki said. He said he hoped this would not signal the end of the Christian community in Syria.
“We have the hope of Jesus, that is our faith, but if we look at this with human eyes (we see the situation) is dangerous,” he said.
In Baghdad, Sako denounced a recent series of car bombings and shootings that killed at least 54 people and injured dozens more.
“It is terrible,” he said. “It seems a step aimed at the division of Iraq. People are worried about the future.”
He said the current violence is between minority Sunni and majority Shiite Muslims, who also run the Iraqi government. Christians are not being directly targeted, he said.
“But they are afraid and their exodus continues nevertheless,” he said. “The morale of Christians in the area is down.”
Attacks have escalated in recent months, with some of the worst violence occurring May 20 in Baghdad, where nine explosions rocked bus stations and markets in mainly Shiite areas. Police said nearly 200 people were injured. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Iraq has witnessed the emigration of more than half of its native Christians since the American-led invasion of the country in 2003. A similar exodus has been occurring in Syria following the outbreak of civil war in 2010.
Melki said the Church in Syria “continues to be a victim of the total chaos and war.”
“We pray fervently day and night for (Christian) unity and peace, especially in Syria,” he said. “We are concerned about the civil war in Syria and the terrible impact it is having on the population and also of course on the Christians.”
The fate remains unknown of two Orthodox bishops who were kidnapped April 22. Their driver was killed during the attack. Two other priests were also kidnapped in February.
Sako questioned “the motive and the reasoning behind changing regimes (of countries) with wars.” Instilling democracy and a culture of freedom, he said, requires education and a sound strategy for the long term. But toppling a totalitarian regime with one that is fundamentalist (Islam) “is even worse,” he cautioned.
Instead of being equal citizens, he warned that Christians “will be considered second class because of their religion in a country in which Islam is the only standard.”