October 25, 2026
The Chamoun family and the “Free Patriots” party, in an atmosphere marked by the evocation of painful moments in Lebanon’s modern history, commemorated the fortieth anniversary of the death of President Dori Camille Chamoun, and the 36th anniversary of the martyrdom of Danny Camille Chamoun, his wife Ingrid, and their two sons, Tariq and Julian, in addition to the martyrs of the “Free Tigers.” On this occasion, a festive mass was held in Saint Elias Church – Antelias.
The Mass was presided over by the director of the Antonine University branch in Bekaa – Zahle, Father Raymond Al-Hashem, assisted by a group of priests, and in the presence of the representative of the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, and the Minister of Information, Paul Morcos. A crowd of representatives, current ministers, ministers, political and party figures, and activists also participated in the occasion, in addition to partisans, family members, friends, and media professionals, while the choir of Saint Elias Church – Antelias performed religious hymns.
In his sermon, Father Al-Hashem stressed the importance of prayer, fasting, and Mass as basic pillars of spiritual communication with God and comfort for the souls of the dead, focusing on the internal conflict that a person experiences, and the obstacles that self-love, vanity, and pride pose to adherence to God’s teachings. He pointed out that the incarnation of Jesus Christ came to be a link between man and the Father, pointing out that man is the one who chooses to turn away from his Lord as a result of his pride, and he is responsible for his acceptance or rejection of God’s mercy, concluding with a call for humility and spiritual solidarity between the living and the dead.
After the mass, Representative Camille Chamoun delivered a speech in which he remembered President Danny Chamoun, his family, and the martyrs of the “Free Tigers,” recalling the special symbolism of Saint Elias Church, which more than forty years ago witnessed the funeral of the late President Camille Chamoun. Chamoun stressed that the occasion embodies an approach for which the deceased and the one in charge worked to bring together the Lebanese of their various sects and unite Christian families and parties, considering that division and division only serve plans that threaten the nation’s existence.
He added that the axes that destroyed Lebanon benefited from the division of Christians and Lebanese, stressing that political action must aim to unify ranks and serve the nation “because the nation is greater than all parties, ideas, and ideologies.” He pointed out that 3,400 members of the “Free Tigers” were martyred in defense of Lebanon, considering that their sacrifices require the continuation of work to preserve the survival of young people in their homeland in light of what he described as the “real bleeding” of talent due to immigration.
Chamoun stressed that the challenge lies in remaining in Lebanon as a “link between the East and the West,” and preserving it as a free and neutral homeland away from the region’s conflicts. He concluded by emphasizing that “Lebanon will remain alive through the sacrifices of its loyal men,” calling for unity and closing the door on attempts at fragmentation, considering that the presence of constitutional institutions and international and Arab support constitute an opportunity for advancement.
For her part, Tamara Dani Chamoun delivered the words with a poignant tone, recalling her family members and pausing at the impact of their sudden and violent departure, leaving him with a great void. She spoke about the difficulty of living with this loss, stressing that pictures and memories remain a means of evoking their presence, and considering that love is what remains in a world overwhelmed by conflicts. She concluded by praying for peace and freedom in the world of eternity for her family members, sending a message of hope and love that the world will regain its light.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Chamoun’s family and the Liberal Patriots Party accepted condolences from the participants. This anniversary comes in the context of recalling prominent moments in Lebanon’s political history during the Lebanese War, accompanied by renewed calls for national unity, sovereignty, and building a stable state capable of limiting immigration.
