by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
HAMOUD, JORDAN (Worthy News) – Thousands of Jordanians gathered Sunday to mourn eight of the nine Christians killed when suspected Islamist gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church, in what was described as the country’s worst such attack in decades.
The service at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the southern village of Hamoud brought together Christians and Muslims from across Jordan, including tribal leaders, Muslim clerics, government officials and representatives of professional organizations.
Eight victims were buried beside the church where Friday’s attack killed nine people and wounded about 40 others. Coffins draped in Jordanian flags were carried through crowds of grieving relatives and mourners as priests led prayers and security personnel stood guard.
Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan attended Sunday’s service alongside senior government and security officials. The ninth victim, Mohammed al-Qasous, was expected to be buried separately Monday, according to his family.
MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY
The gathering highlighted widespread condemnation of the violence in Jordan, where Christians and Muslims have traditionally maintained close community relations.
Muslim religious leaders joined Christian clergy in mourning the victims, while tribal representatives from northern, central and southern Jordan traveled to Hamoud to express solidarity with the families.
Kamal Al Rawashdeh, a Muslim retiree in his 80s, drove from the nearby village of Al Rabba to attend the ceremony. “I felt it was my duty, this was a heinous act,” he told The National newspaper.
The massacre occurred Friday, October 23, when gunmen opened fire on mourners attending another funeral at the church in Karak governorate, roughly 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of the capital, Amman. Witnesses described three attackers firing indiscriminately at people gathered outside the building.
POPE PRAYS FOR VICTIMS
Pope Leo XIV expressed his condolences Sunday and prayed the victims.
During his Angelus address at the Vatican, the pontiff voiced solidarity with Jordan’s Christian community and praised the country’s tradition of peaceful coexistence and respect between different religions.
Jordanian King Abdullah II condemned the killings as terrorism and ordered security forces to respond with an “iron fist.” He also called for intensified efforts to counter extremist ideology and prevent further violence.
The massacre was described by The National, an Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, as Jordan’s deadliest attack against its Christian community since the mid-1950s.
SECURITY FORCES HUNT GUNMEN
Authorities continued searching for the attackers Sunday, establishing checkpoints along major roads and deploying security personnel around churches nationwide.
Armoured vehicles were also stationed near places of worship as Sunday services proceeded under heightened protection. No organization had claimed responsibility, and officials said it was too early to establish whether the gunmen were linked to an armed group.
Survivor Sahar al-Halsa recalled hiding behind a pillar as gunfire erupted during Friday’s funeral. She later found her cousin Assem lying wounded outside the church. He briefly opened his eyes when she called his name before dying, she recalled.
Despite the bloodshed, Christian leaders urged believers not to surrender to fear. At a Greek Orthodox church in Amman, a priest told said the violence would not discourage worshippers. “The attack does not dissuade anyone, it makes us stronger,” he added.
His name wasn’t released amid security concerns.
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION CONCERNS
While the predominantly Muslim kingdom has experienced extremist violence, large-scale attacks specifically targeting Christians have been rare.
Christian advocacy group Open Doors ranks Jordan 49th on its 2026 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. It says traditional Orthodox and Roman Catholic communities generally enjoy relatively substantial religious freedom, although converts from Islam face greater pressure, discrimination and threats.
Open Doors estimates that Jordan has approximately 170,000 Christians, representing about 1.4 percent of the population. Greek Orthodox believers form the country’s largest Christian denomination.
Yet the latest killings raised concerns about the security of Jordan’s Christian minority, even as Muslims and Christians across the kingdom united in grief and condemned an attack that authorities described as extremist terrorism.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
