"Embraced Death to Save Them" .. Who is Grace Al-Bishara, the hero of St. Elias Church?

While St. Elias Church in the Dwaila neighborhood of Damascus was filled with worshipers, a bloody explosion shook the place, leaving dozens of victims and destruction.

At the heart of this tragedy, the name of engineer Grace Jameel Al-Bishara emerged, who became in the eyes of Syrians the "hero of the church" after he risked his life trying to confront the suicide bomber and save those inside.

Grace's wife, who was one of the survivors of the attack, recounted horrifying details of what happened inside the church, saying that the attacker began firing outside the church, causing the worshipers to fall to the ground in panic. She added: "When the attacker opened the door and stormed the church, my husband Grace and his brother rushed towards him trying to prevent him from entering, so he threw a bomb at them that did not explode."

But the decisive moment came when the brothers Al-Bishara tried to control him, and the terrorist immediately detonated himself, causing a massive explosion that tore their bodies apart.

The wife, in tears, said: "I saw my husband's liver and stomach in front of me .. I couldn't comprehend what happened."

As soon as these details spread, Syrian social media platforms buzzed with the name Grace Al-Bishara, praising his courage and sacrifice.

He turned into a national symbol in the eyes of many, affirming that his heroic intervention helped reduce the number of victims and prevented a larger catastrophe that would have claimed more lives.

The Syrian Ministry of Health announced in an official statement that the death toll from the suicide bombing inside the church has risen to at least 25 people.

In the first presidential comment, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shar'a pledged that "everyone involved in this attack will receive fair punishment," calling on Syrians to unite against terrorism.

The late Grace Jameel Al-Bishara held the position of General Manager of the Public Establishment for Road Transport in Damascus and was considered a prominent figure in the engineering sector.

He lived in the Dwaila neighborhood, which is predominantly inhabited by Christian citizens, along with several churches.

This attack is the first assault targeting places of worship, whether Islamic or Christian, in the Syrian capital since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime on December 8 last year, raising serious concerns about the return of bloody bombings that ravaged Syria in previous years.

Amidst profound grief, Syrian voices rise on social media:

 "Grace did not die .. He is an icon of courage, and his name will remain alive in the hearts of all who understand the meaning of sacrifice."

In a time dominated by fear, Grace stood as a protective wall for his community, facing imminent death with his bare body to give others a chance at life.