Easter was celebrated by the Syriac Orthodox community in Syria on Sunday in accordance with the Eastern Calendar, with hymns chanted and prayers recited in several churches and cathedrals.

The ceremonies in the governorate of Al-Hasakah began in the morning in the Syriac Orthodox Church of Saint Assia al-Hakim in the district of al-Dirbasiyah and in the Church of St. George and the Church of the Virgin in the city of al-Hasakah.

In the churches, the rites of celebration began with the performance of hymns, chants, prayers and supplications for the day, after which members of the community exchanged congratulations.

Christians constitute about 10% of the total population of Syria, consisting of Antiochian Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Protestant communities and other denominations.

The Assyrian people, descendants of one of the ancient civilisations of Mesopotamia and one of the oldest Christian communities, had an estimated population of up to 870,000 in Syria before the civil war broke out.