Sadness prevailed over the town of Qalaia, which bid farewell to its three martyrs, Dr. James Karam, and his two sons, Tony and Theodosia, in a solemn funeral that reflected the magnitude of the tragedy that befell the town and its people.
The people gathered at St. George’s roundabout in the center of town to receive the bodies, in the presence of the parish priest, Father Antonios Farah, and MP Melhem Khalaf, where prayers were offered and flowers fell on the coffins amid a moving atmosphere dominated by feelings of sadness and grief.
The townspeople walked, carrying the coffins on their shoulders, in a solemn funeral procession that roamed the streets of Al-Qulaya, reaching the Church of St. George, where the funeral prayer was held to comfort themselves, amid wide participation from the people and people of the region who came to offer their condolences and console the grieving family.
During the funeral ceremony, poignant scenes were depicted that reflected the depth of the tragedy the town was experiencing, especially with the presence of the grieving mother who bid farewell to her husband and two children in a scene that shook the emotions of the participants.
The words of the mourners unanimously agreed that Al-Qaliya was lost with the passing of Dr. James Karam and his three sons, a loss that left a deep impact on the souls of the people who participated extensively in the final farewell ceremonies.
This funeral comes in light of the atmosphere of sadness prevailing over many southern towns as a result of the ongoing Israeli war and the great human casualties and losses it has left behind. Such scenes remain a testimony to the extent of the suffering experienced by Lebanese families who lost their loved ones, and to the heavy humanitarian price that civilians pay in light of the continuing escalation.
