Universal Syriac Union Party honors Syriac Martyrs
SABTIYEH-SED EL BOUCHRIEH, Lebanon — The Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP) on Friday held a commemoration in honor of the 1,132 Syriac Martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence during Lebanon’s civil war.
USUP annually pays tribute the martyrs of the Christian Syriac Resistance. Friday’s gathering was held at Syriac Martyrs’ Square at the Sabtiyeh-Sed El Bouchrieh intersection and was attended by political and religious figures.
Although this year’s commemoration was limited due to reports of the possible presence in Lebanon of Islamic State cells, a broad representation of political parties sent representatives to honor the Syriac Martyrs, including the Lebanese Forces, Kataeb Party, National Liberal Party, Guardians of the Cedars Party, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar), and the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party.
Churches sent representatives, too. Syriac Catholic Patriarch Mor Yusuf III Younan sent a delegation. Father Ninos Odeh of St. George Church represented the Assyrian Church of the East.
Archbishop and Patriarchal Advisor Mor George Saliba and Archbishop Kyrillos Babi, Patriarchal Vicar and Director of Charitable Institutions in Atchaneh attended. A representative of Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Mor Daniel Gawriyeh was present, along with several local priests of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
The evening began with the Lebanese national anthem, and a moment of silence and prayer in memory of the martyrs. Suroyo TV host Rania Zahra Sharbel opened the commemoration with the words; “loyalty never diea. What matters is that our voices are never silenced and that our memories never fade.”
“Our 1,132 martyrs, and the many more martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance, are part of the heroic 15,000 martyrs… It is they who have written with their blood the glory of Christian steadfastness in this country. They believed in Lebanon until their last breath. They did not fear death. They faced it, and left us an unbreakable legacy of strength. We too say to you: even if the whole world emigrated, we would stay. Loyalty is in our blood.”
Afterwards, all political and religious representatives laid a commemorative wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial, crowning the square which bears the name of the Syriac martyrs.
Family and friends of the martyrs followed. By laying wreaths and flowers they remembered and honored their fallen loved ones.
The commemoration concluded with a speech by the President of the Universal Syriac Union Party Ibrahim Mrad who praised the valor and sacrifice of the Syriac Martyrs.
Mrad compared the Christian resistance to the Shiite “resistance” of Hezbollah. The former defended and fought for a free, sovereign, and independent Lebanon. The latter, on the other hand, openly declares its affiliation with Iran, Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the Guardianship of the Jurist. Morevoer, all its funding and all its loyalty is from and to Iran, not to the Lebanese state.
Mrad also addressed Syriac Maronite President Joseph Aoun, the former commander of the Lebanese Armed forces, urging him to remain steadfast in his pledge to return the state to its citizens, free the state from the grip of the militias, and disarm all of them: “We have placed our hope in you, Mr. President. Do not give up. We stand by your side in fulfilling your oath of office,” Mrad stated. He concluded: “Long live the Syriac Union Party. Glory and immortality to our Syriac Martyrs and to all the martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance. Long live Lebanon.”

The Lebanese Civil War, which endured from 1975 to 1990, claimed the lives of numerous martyrs, with a substantial number hailing from the Syriac community. Their courage and dedication in the face of adversity made them the largest percentage of martyrs in the Lebanese Syriac Resistance.
Friday’s commemoration served as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by these brave individuals, reinvigorating the commitment to honor their memory and the values for which they fought.