President of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Secretariat Nadine Maenza and prominent Syrian Kurdish Sheikh Murşid Xeznewi joined Christians in Qamishli (Qamişlo) on Sunday to celebrate Easter in one of the oldest churches in northeast Syria, calling for religious and ethnic minority representation.
The Easter service, held in the heart of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), brought together Syriac, Assyrian and Armenian Christians from across the region, many of whose ancestors fled the Armenian-Assyrian Genocide over a century ago. This year, both Eastern and Western Christian calendars aligned, allowing all denominations to celebrate Easter together — a rare occurrence and a moment of unity in a region long fractured by conflict.
Maenza, former White House appointee and chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), delivered a message of solidarity. “I’m incredibly blessed to spend Easter with one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, in the very heart of where Christianity began,” she said during the service. “This community has endured genocide, persecution and war — but remains a cornerstone of peace and democracy in this region.”
Maenza also highlighted the region’s unique governance model, where Christians, Muslims and other minorities co-administer civic and security institutions under the AANES. “This area offers the best conditions for religious freedom in the Middle East,” she said, urging global recognition and support.
Sheikh Murşid Xeznewi, a key spiritual figure among Kurds, attended the ceremonies in a rare interfaith gesture. He praised the inclusive spirit of Easter and reaffirmed support for coexistence between religious and ethnic groups.
The AANES also issued a statement expressing hopes that the Christian’s Easter message would “inspire liberation from oppression and a path toward peace and dignity for all Syrians”.
Even after years of war, displacement and ISIS threats, churches in Qamishli were filled with hymns and prayers, echoing a broader aspiration: peace, justice, and equal citizenship for all Syrians — regardless of faith.
