by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Worshipers gathered Sunday for the first Mass at Mar Elias Church in the Dweilaa district east of Damascus, one week after a devastating suicide bombing killed 25 people and wounded 63.

The congregation, visibly shaken but resolute, filled pews still bearing scars of the blast -- their wooden surfaces splintered and blackened. Surrounding them were cracked tiles, scorched walls, and holes left by shrapnel. Near the pile of candles and rubble marking the bomb's impact site stood a wooden cross adorned with white and burgundy flowers.

As the priest led the liturgy under a chandelier of crystal and shadow, the hymns echoed through the damaged church walls. Many in attendance clutched candles, others wept quietly, and some knelt to light new flames for the fallen.

The attack, one of the deadliest on a Christian place of worship in Syria in recent memory, struck during Sunday evening Mass on June 23. It sent shockwaves through Syria's Christian community and reignited fears of renewed sectarian violence in a country still fragile from years of war.

Authorities say the assailants included a gunman and a suicide bomber. The Islamic State (IS) group has been linked to the attack.

Interior authorities spokesman Noureddin al-Baba said the leader of the cell, a Syrian national named Mohammed Abdel-Ilah al-Jumaili, known as Abu Emad al-Jumaili, was captured and is under interrogation. He had been a senior IS figure once dubbed "the governor of the desert."

For residents of Dweilaa, the attack reopened painful memories. The district lies near former frontlines between the Syrian army and rebel forces in eastern Ghouta -- a region that bore the brunt of the civil war.

"We denounce these acts and hope that peace will prevail -- for our country and for the entire world," said Fadia Gharib, a local worshiper who laid white flowers at the site of the blast.

Nearby, Feryal Umm Masoud lit a candle for her relatives.

"I want to live in peace and come here without fear," she said softly. "We pray to God to calm the situation and that such things will never happen again."

Mar Elias Church, long known for its quiet and close-knit community, had never experienced violence before. Following the bombing, security has since been heightened, but a sense of unease lingers among people there, particularly the Christian community.

For many Syrian Christians, the attack was a shock, as violence on this scale had not occurred even during the worst days of Syria's 14-year civil war, which did see incidents of looting and sabotage targeting some Christian churches in areas formerly controlled by IS.

Syria has long been a patchwork of faiths, and moments like this expose the deep vulnerabilities of its diverse communities.

Before the war began in 2011, Christians made up around 10 percent of Syria's 22 million population. However, their numbers have dwindled significantly due to years of conflict and emigration. Today, only a few hundred thousand Christians are estimated to remain in Syria.

Syria's top Christian leader, Patriarch John X Yazigi, delivered a rare public rebuke to the country's new authorities, urging it to take full responsibility for protecting religious minorities.

"Condolences are not enough for us... the crime that unfolded is a little bigger than that." Patriarch Yazigi said during a funeral service of the victims held Tuesday. Enditem