Christian denominations in Syria celebrated on Friday, August 15, the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, one of the most significant religious occasions for Christians.
Churches across Syrian provinces held prayers and masses to mark the feast, with members of the Christian faith participating.
For Christians, the feast symbolizes the Virgin’s assumption into heaven, body and soul, after completing her mission on earth.
Candles were also lit before the Virgin’s icon, in a tradition symbolizing the “light of love and faith she spreads in hearts.”
An occasion for brotherhood
The celebration of the Feast of the Dormition was not limited to Christian communities, but became an opportunity for Syrians of various religions and sects to come together and express fraternity.
Lara al-Sweiri and Dima Taleb, two young women from different religions living in the Qassaa neighborhood of Damascus, have been friends since childhood for nearly 20 years. They have long exchanged visits during holidays and shared each other’s traditions.
Dima told Enab Baladi that she joined Lara in going to church to celebrate the feast, and has grown accustomed to lighting candles before the Virgin’s icon—something she describes as bringing “spiritual comfort and inner peace.”
“Despite the difference in religion, prayer lies in the heart. When I visit the church, I feel closer to God, just as when I am in the mosque, for all are houses of God,” Dima said.
Lara said the sense of brotherhood she has experienced with her friend Dima was stronger than any differences, as both were raised to believe that what unites the heavenly religions is love, tolerance, and respect for others.
Neighbors Tony Samara and Rami Maghrabi, who live in the Burj al-Rous area of Damascus, spoke of a friendship spanning more than three decades.
They shared joys and sorrows and supported one another through the hardest of times. Their different religious affiliations did not prevent them from celebrating all occasions together, whether Christmas and Easter or Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Rami said, “From our long companionship, we learned that all heavenly religions call for love and peace, and there is no difference between Muslim and Christian.”
Lana Arnos and her friend Sara Hawashi also shared in the celebrations held each year in Marmarita, Homs, for the Feast of the Virgin.
Sara said, “Religious holidays are an opportunity for us to meet and express our love. It doesn’t matter if the occasion belongs to a specific faith; what matters is that we celebrate together.”
Lana added that this mutual participation made her feel that religious holidays in Syria are closer to being national holidays shared by everyone.
“Marmarita Carnival”
Residents of the village of Marmarita in Homs province have traditionally held an annual carnival to celebrate the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. This year, however, it was canceled in mourning for the victims of the bombing of the “St. Elias” Church in the Dweila area of Damascus last June.
The Marmarita Carnival typically gathers hundreds of participants of all ages, with colorful parades roaming the streets, artistic and musical performances, as well as heritage shows reflecting the region’s history and culture.
Over the years, the carnival has grown beyond being a purely religious celebration into a social and cultural event open to everyone, attracting visitors from across Syria and even from abroad.
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