Originally published at National Catholic Register
In the wake of the Assad regime’s fall in Syria, the streets of Lebanon were alive with celebration. Church bells rang out as Lebanese Christians gathered en masse, uplifted by the seismic political shift. Flags waved triumphantly as sweets passed from hand to hand and fireworks filled the sky, casting light over a nation long shadowed by turmoil.
But why have Lebanese Christians reacted so fervently to this news from a neighboring country?
Lebanese Christians have long harbored animosity toward the Assad regime, which occupied their country for 29 years. This occupation came to an end in 2005 following the Cedar Revolution, where Lebanese from all sects united in protest.
Despite the formal end of Syrian control, the regime’s influence lingered, and the ghosts of the past never truly departed. Both under Hafez and Bashar al-Assad, Lebanese Christians endured significant suffering.
The impact of the regime’s actions and crimes has left a deep and lasting mark. Lebanese journalists faced abductions, mutilations and execution for their opposition. Media outlets were attacked and forcibly shut down. Political assassinations were common, and the daily lives of civilians were marred by humiliation, torture and interrogations by Syrian intelligence.
Lebanese citizens faced the grim reality
