People of the world bid farewell to Sayyeds Nasrallah, Safieddine
4 Min Read
People from nearly 80 countries gathered in the Lebanese capital of Beirut to bid farewell to martyred leaders Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine.
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Mourners chant slogans as they gather along a highway for the funeral procession of Lebanon's former Hezbollah leaders, Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, in Beirut, Lebanon, pm Sunday, February 23, 2025 (AP)
A momentous funeral procession was held on Sunday in Beirut for Hezbollah’s two late secretaries generals, leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine. The ceremony took place at Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, where tens of thousands of mourners gathered to pay their final respects.
As the coffins of the two leaders entered the stadium, the crowd erupted in chants of allegiance, "Labbayka Ya Nasrallah" (At your service, Nasrallah), "We remain committed to the pledge, Nasrallah," and "Far from us is humiliation."
The stadium and the dozens of large screens and speakers spread throughout the Lebanese capital were echoing with iconic speeches made by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as the world bid farewell to the great leaders.
The two leaders, in their caskets, donned with Hezbollah flags, were driven out onto the stadium as people could be seen crying and weeping out of sorrow over the great loss they endured.
In the midst of the ceremony, the Israeli occupation forces violated Lebanon's sovereignty and airspace, flying fighter jets at incredibly low altitudes over the Lebanese capital. The roar of the engines were met with deafening roars from the people, who chanted in support of the martyred leader, affirming that they would not be deterred by a petty attempt at intimidation.
'Fight against arrogance to never cease'
Iranian Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei’s representative in Iraq, Sayyed Mojtaba Hosseini, delivered a speech on behalf of Sayyed Khamenei, emphasizing the continuation of resistance against global arrogance. He conveyed the Iranian leader’s salutations to "the dear sons, the valiant youth of Lebanon."
The funeral ceremonies began at 1:00 PM in the stadium and proceeded towards the burial site of Sayyed Nasrallah on the outskirts of Beirut’s Southern Suburb. Sayyed Safieddine is set to be buried on Monday in his hometown of Deir Qanoun Al-Nahr in southern Lebanon.
Massive crowds flooded the stadium and surrounding streets from early morning, with an Al Mayadeen correspondent describing the scene as a "human tide" converging from all regions.
Dignitaries and official delegations from Lebanon and abroad attended the funeral. The Supreme Funeral Committee confirmed the participation of representatives from approximately 79 countries, including both official and popular delegations. Organizers also noted the presence of high-ranking figures from Iran, Iraq, and a plethora of other nations.
A behemoth procession
The funeral is taking place under heightened security measures implemented by Hezbollah and Lebanese security agencies. The stadium’s seating capacity exceeds 50,000, but tens of thousands more are expected to gather in the surrounding streets to join the funeral march. By 7:00 AM, just an hour after the gates opened, all designated spaces inside the stadium were already occupied.
According to event organizers, the stadium will accommodate over 23,000 seats on the field and 55,000 more in the stands. In the surrounding areas, 35,000 seats have been allocated for men and 25,000 in a separate section for women.
Large screens have been installed along the procession route, while dozens of tents to accommodate visitors and participants have been set up along the streets leading to the funeral site.
To ensure the safety of attendees, the Islamic Health Society has deployed 1,500 medical volunteers, including paramedics, doctors, and nurses, across 60 medical tents. Additionally, 100 ambulances have been stationed along the funeral route.
For days, preparations have been underway to accommodate the massive crowds expected to attend the funeral, with Beirut’s Sports City Stadium set to host both official delegations and the large numbers of mourners.
