On a narrow lane in the village of Al Qaniya, in Syria’s western Idlib countryside, coloured lights hang between stone houses and a Christmas tree stands in the church square – modest, but unmistakable.
For the Christian families here, it is a scene many thought they would never witness again.
“This is what joy looks like,” said Joseph Angelo, a lifelong resident of Al Qaniya, as villagers gathered around the tree. “We all suffered through the war years. Today, we are celebrating Christmas publicly for the first time.”
It is the first Christmas celebration in Al Qaniya – and neighbouring villages including Yaqubiya, Al Jadida and Al Ghasaniyah – since the outbreak of Syria’s uprising and the war that followed. Before 2011, about 10,000 Christians lived in Idlib governorate. Most fled the violence, intimidation, and seizure of homes and land by armed groups. Those who stayed learnt to keep their faith quiet.
For more than a decade, Christmas – if marked at all – was confined to church walls or private homes. This year, it has spilt into the streets.
Lama Haddad, 48, never left Al Qaniya. She and her husband endured years of isolation, fear and loss.
“We lived through very hard stages,” she said. “This is the first time we celebrate Christmas openly. After 14 years, the celebrations have returned.”
Her voice broke as she described seeing family members she had not seen since the war began.
“I sent my daughter away four years ago to study. I didn’t see her until after the liberation – she came back. My brothers and relatives, I hadn’t seen them for 14 years. Today they came to visit.”
She smiled, gesturing to the lights and decorations around her. “We won’t give this joy to anyone. For years, we celebrated quietly, only inside our homes or the church. We hope the child of the manger brings peace to this country so we can live safely again.”
Christians in Idlib paid a heavy price, as armed factions took control of the area. According to rights groups, at least 750 Christian homes were seized in villages around Jisr Al Shughour in 2018 alone, followed by hundreds more in Idlib city. Foreign fighters – from Turkestan, Chechens and other groups – seized property, often on the grounds that owners had fled.
Religious symbols were banned. Church bells were silenced. Crosses were removed.
Joseph Angelo, 73, never left. “I stayed in my house and on my land throughout the revolution and the war,” he said. “Some hardline factions committed many abuses – they seized homes and land.”
He said conditions began to change after 2018, when Hayat Tahrir Al Sham consolidated control. “Stability slowly returned. People started to recover their property. Life began to come back, step by step.”
Today, he says, the change is visible – and deeply personal.
“My children came from the Netherlands to spend Christmas with us. I see them now, after years of injustice and fear."
The contrast with Christmas 2024 is stark. Last year, celebrations in parts of Syria were overshadowed by the public burning of a Christmas tree – an incident that sparked outrage, fear and renewed accusations that religious minorities were unsafe under emerging authorities.
This year, security is tight across the country. Armed patrols are visible near churches and town squares, particularly after a major suicide bombing earlier this year heightened concerns about sectarian attacks.
Syrian state media has responded by amplifying Christmas scenes nationwide – from Idlib’s countryside to Damascus and Aleppo – highlighting church services, decorated streets and public celebrations. The messaging is unmistakable: an attempt to project tolerance and coexistence, especially after international criticism over violence in coastal areas earlier this year, where massacres raised fresh concerns about minority protection.
For residents of Al Qaniya, hope is measured but real.
“I came back from Latakia after 14 years,” said Maha Younis, visiting her village for Christmas. “I saw my father again. I saw joy we had dreamt of all these years.”
She looked around the square, full of neighbours greeting one another. “God willing, peace will spread across all of Syria this Christmas.”
