DAMASCUS, Syria

Christians in Syria commemorated Good Friday, the day they believe Jesus Christ was crucified, ahead of Easter.

Events were held in Damascus as well as in the provinces of Aleppo, Homs and Latakia.

The ceremonies, which began in the evening at churches, drew large crowds of Christians, while strict security measures were put in place.​​​​​​​

Following a service at the Church of the Cross in the capital, scout groups performed a parade accompanied by a marching band.

Abir, a Christian from Damascus, told Anadolu that she came to the church to attend the ceremony.

"As part of the ceremony, we prayed, and our scout teams put on a performance. On Sunday, we’ll celebrate Easter," she said.

Elisar, who traveled from Lebanon to attend the ceremonies in Damascus, said: "Before coming here, we were concerned about the security situation, but I was very happy to see the extensive security measures in place."

*Writing by Zehra Nur Celik.