On Friday, 23 October 2026, gunmen opened fire outside St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church as people gathered for a funeral. The attack took place in Karak, Jordan, killing nine people and injuring about 50. Three suspects were arrested on Monday, 26 October.
A survivor describes how an ordinary funeral suddenly turned to terror. He was outside the church when he heard gunshots. His first instinct was to drop to the floor.
The gunmen continued firing, pausing to reload between rounds. Witnesses described how some victims were deliberately shot multiple times.
Community Losing Sleep
Gunfire first wreaked havoc near the church’s main entrance. According to the witness, an injured person was able to close the church doors, protecting close to 100 people inside.
“No one expected this to happen at a church,” he says.
The gunmen then fired at the church windows. If they’d entered the church, the consequences would have been far worse: a massacre.
As the community mourns those lost and cares for their injured, the attack is impacting them in other ways. “I still can’t sleep properly since the shooting took place because of the horrors I saw,” the interviewed witness says.
Jordanian authorities have already identified radical ideologies behind the perpetrators’ actions, which raises the question: are Christians in Jordan still safe to gather, pray, and mourn?
Generations of peace between Christians and Muslims makes the attack even more shocking. “What happened is surprising. We have always lived with our Muslim brothers peacefully in Karak,” the witness says. “Those who committed these atrocities have no religion, no ethics.”
Although Jordan has experienced terrorist attacks before, including violence in Karak in 2016, an attack on people gathered for a church funeral is highly unusual.
Suspects Arrested
For Jordan’s Christian community, the response from the country’s leadership has been an important source of reassurance.
On 26 October, authorities announced the arrest of three suspects following an operation in Karak, demonstrating their solidarity with the community. The investigation continues.
No End to Fear
The attack has left citizens considering different paths forward. Some are thinking of acquiring weapons to protect themselves (especially in the villages). Others are ready to leave Jordan and find safety elsewhere.
Unexpectedly, the violence has strengthened the determination of some Jordanians to stay and continue living alongside their Muslim neighbours.
Survivors deeply empathise with families who’ve lost loved ones. They feel the pain of those recovering from injury, and the pain of the wider community.
One survivor was asked how others could pray for her. She says, “Pray that God brings comfort to the families of the people who lost their lives. I can feel their pain. They were all loved. Pray for me and all those who were at the church for things to calm down.”
Her words carry the weight of collective mourning. The absence of all those killed will be felt long after the church doors reopen.
Trauma healing and additional support will be essential in the months ahead. It cannot undo what happened. But it can help families face the future without carrying every burden alone.
Please pray
- For the healing and restoration of survivors
- For authorities to find and sentence those responsible
- For believers to bring healing and comfort in this time of loss and tragedy
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
