Published On 29 Mar 202629 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
As Christians gathered in churches across Lebanon on Palm Sunday to commemorate Jesus\u2019s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah cast a sombre shadow over the celebrations.<\/p>\n
A Maronite Catholic church near Dahiyeh in Beirut\u2019s southern suburbs was filled to capacity, despite its proximity to the once-bustling district \u2013 now largely deserted following Israeli evacuation orders and ongoing air strikes. In the coastal city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, nearly cut off from the rest of the country by Israeli bombings that destroyed nearby bridges, church bells tolled, and choral music filled the air.<\/p>\n
Worshippers prayed earnestly for peace, even as Lebanon\u2019s history of sectarian tensions, rooted in the 1975\u20131990 civil war between Christians and Muslims, remained a poignant backdrop. Today, congregants underscore that all Lebanese people are enduring the consequences of the intensifying Israel-Hezbollah conflict.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no bombing here right now, but no one is safe from this\u2014not the Christians, not anyone,\u201d said Mahia Jamus, a 20-year-old university student in Beirut. \u201cNo one is spared from its effects.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Tyre, where many residents have stayed despite Israeli evacuation orders, Christians sought solace in preserving their sacred traditions amid the devastation surrounding them.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmid the wars, the tragedies, and the destruction happening around us, we remain on our land,\u201d said Roseth Katra, 41, speaking from the centuries-old stone church in Tyre. \u201cToday is Palm Sunday, and we are celebrating.\u201d<\/p>\n