After nearly 14 years of closure due to war and unrest, the St. Anna Jacobite Church, affiliated with the Armenian Orthodox Diocese of Aleppo and its surroundings, has welcomed its first pilgrimage.
The church is located in the village of Al-Yaqoubiya, in the Jisr al-Shughur countryside, northwest of Idlib, Syria.
According to the Armenian Orthodox Diocese of Aleppo and its surroundings, pilgrims from Aleppo, Latakia, and Kessab in the Latakia countryside travelled to Al-Yaqoubiya for the occasion, where a mass and prayers were held inside the church.
“After many years of interruption, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated at St. Anna Jacobite Church under the patronage of His Eminence Bishop Makar Ashkarian, Bishop of the Armenian Orthodox Diocese of Aleppo and its surroundings,” a statement from the Diocese said.
“The service was attended by residents of Al-Yaqoubiya who traveled from Aleppo, Latakia, and Kessab, and was led by the Bishop’s Deputy in the Jazira Vicariate, Archimandrite Levon Yegiyan,” it added.
During the years of the Syrian conflict, St. Anna Church and its adjoining convent provided shelter to dozens of displaced families from various parts of Idlib province, following waves of displacement caused by bombardments and attacks carried out by the former regime and affiliated militias.
The church was reopened for Christian worship in 2022, under the protection of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which at the time controlled Idlib and its surroundings under the leadership of current Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
The group later dissolved itself along with other opposition factions after the fall of the previous regime.
St. Anna Church in Al-Yaqoubiya is regarded as one of Syria’s oldest and most significant Christian landmarks, renowned for its distinctive architectural style, which reflects the deep Christian heritage of Idlib province.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on 8 Decembver, Syrian Christians have faced a complex and uncertain reality.
While the end of the war brought a degree of stability, the Christian community, which had already dwindled due to years of conflict, continues to grapple with challenges.
Many churches and religious sites were damaged or repurposed during the war, and despite efforts to restore them, emigration remains high due to economic hardship and security concerns.
In areas like Idlib, where opposition groups once dominated, Christian communities have cautiously resumed religious practices, but fears of political instability and sectarian tensions persist.
