'Walk together in friendship': Pope Francis calls for religious tolerance in post-Assad Syria

Pope Francis appealed to the different religious groups in Syria "to walk together in friendship and with mutual respect for the good of that nation afflicted by so many years of war," according to Prothomalo. This call for unity came three days after the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's regime by rebels in a lightning offensive. The sudden fall of Assad's government marks a pivotal moment in Syria's nearly 14-year civil war, which has killed 500,000 people and forced half the country's population to flee their homes.

During his weekly address at the Vatican, Pope Francis expressed hope that a political solution will be reached that "without further conflicts or divisions, will responsibly promote the stability and unity of the country," Prothomalo reported. "I pray... that the Syrian people may live in peace and security in their beloved land," he said during his weekly audience at the Vatican, according to ANSA. As the head of the Catholic Church with 1.4 billion members, Pope Francis often speaks about international conflicts, usually emphasizing the need for de-escalation. He described the current moment in Syria's history as "delicate," ANSA reported.

The Islamist-led opposition alliance's advance brought to an end five decades of brutal rule by Bashar al-Assad's clan. Assad fled Syria as the opposition alliance swept into the capital Damascus over the weekend. Syria's new transitional prime minister, Mohammad al-Bashir, has said it is time for "stability and calm" in the country.

The Vatican estimates that there are about 300,000 Catholics among the approximately 25 million inhabitants of Syria, according to Capital. Syria's Christian community, which constitutes a small minority, generally supported the Assad government since the start of the civil war in 2011.

Syria's Christian community suffered when the jihadist Islamic State (IS) group overran large parts of Syria. The Islamic State group targeted Christians, resorting to mass kidnappings and the destruction of churches, as reported by Prothomalo.

In 2016, in an unusual move, Pope Francis appointed the Vatican's ambassador to Syria as a cardinal—the second highest rank in the Catholic Church, as stated in Capital.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq