The church bells still ring in Syria’s ancient Christian enclaves, but their sound carries a bittersweet resonance. Two weeks after the surprise fall of the regime of the Syrian tyrant, Bashar Al-Assad — toppled by an offensive spearheaded by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — Syrian Christians stand at a crossroads of hope and dread.

Although members of the Christian community said they are happy to see the Assad regime go, many are wary of their new Islamist leaders.

Syrian church leaders are advising Christians to scale back their celebrations this year, despite assurances from the Islamists who have just taken power that they are free to practice their religion.