Syrians marked Eid al-Adha on Friday with massive public prayers, emotional gatherings, and a message of national recovery from President Ahmad al-Sharaa—the first such celebration since the fall of Assad’s regime.
In a video address broadcast by the Office of the Presidency early Friday morning, President Sharaa congratulated the nation and highlighted the symbolic weight of this year’s Eid. “To the generous Syrian people in villages, towns, cities, and displacement camps, and to the honorable pilgrims, may you have a happy and prosperous year,” he said. “This Eid comes while Syria, God willing, is recovering from its suffering over the past 14 years.”
The president performed Eid prayers at the People’s Palace in Damascus, joined by state ministers, military officials, tribal representatives, and religious leaders. Afterward, he received greetings from dignitaries and clergy, reinforcing his administration’s push to project unity and stability.
Public Squares Reclaim Their Role
In scenes not seen in over a decade, thousands of Syrians gathered for public Eid prayers across major cities, towns, and rural areas. The Unknown Soldier Square in Damascus was filled with worshippers under the protective watch of security and municipal services. Damascus Governor Maher Marwan was in attendance, along with large crowds at the Umayyad Mosque and Zahraa al-Jadeeda Square.
In Aleppo, prayers took place at the Nour al-Shuhada Mosque in the war-torn Shaar neighborhood, with Governor Azzam al-Gharib leading a post-prayer meeting to hear local residents’ needs. Locals’ noted the significance of the governor’s presence in a district still facing severe humanitarian challenges.
In Idlib province, prayers at the rehabilitated Great Umayyad Mosque in Maarat al-Numan signaled a return to communal worship. Governor Muhammad Abdulrahman joined residents in Saraqib—a city deeply scarred by years of occupation—for prayers held in the stadium, emphasizing the administration’s focus on local recovery.
Sharaa Visits to the “Cradle of the Revolution”
President Sharaa also visited Daraa on Friday afternoon, his first trip to the governorate as head of state. Daraa, widely regarded as the birthplace of the 2011 uprising, holds deep symbolic significance in Syria’s recent history. At the Omari Mosque, the president was greeted by crowds and local dignitaries.
His visit came after Eid prayers were held in the city of Izraa, attended by Governor Anwar Taha al-Zoubi and Brig. Gen. Shaher Jabr Omran, director of internal security in the province.
A Message of National Healing
Across Hama, Homs, Deir Ezzor, and Lattakia, provincial governors and security officials joined residents in mosques and open spaces, reinforcing a government-led message of religious observance paired with civic engagement.
In Homs, worshippers gathered at the historic Khalid bin Walid Mosque and in the Baba Amr neighborhood. In Deir Ezzor, large crowds assembled at the municipal stadium, their voices echoing the traditional Eid chants.
The recurring theme throughout yesterday’s events—from presidential speeches to provincial gatherings—was one of healing and renewal. As Syria navigates a fragile recovery, the first Eid al-Adha under new leadership offered both a symbolic and spiritual step toward national cohesion.
