A picture of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is not unusual in Lebanon. The Hezbollah leader, adored by party supporters and admired by many others, is depicted everywhere from posters to cigarette lighters. But circulating online are images of Nasrallah’s face on a bracelet of pictures of Christian saints, and of Nasrallah on a rosary. To some, the sight of a living Muslim militia leader has no place in Christian iconography.

Controversy has been further stoked by scenes from a Hezbollah promotional video, in which a choir is singing a pro-Hezbollah song in a church. Reports suggest that the church is Mar Youssef in the Hezbollah stronghold of Haret Hreik in southern Beirut, but many have been outraged nonetheless, and the video was posted on the website of the Lebanese Forces Christian political party to widespread condemnation.
 
The outcry by some Christians pushed the party into answering questions about the controversial religious items. Hussein Rahhal, the party’s media relations chief, spoke on Sunday on Free Lebanon Radio, saying that Hezbollah did not make the rosary or bracelet, and that the people behind them were likely Christian. Citing Article 9 of the Lebanese constitution, which calls, he said, for freedom of religious expression, Rahhal claimed that many Christians and others thought of Nasrallah as a saint. He declared that it was not his responsibility to tell them otherwise, rather saying that the mix of Christian with Hezbollah imagery was a “good sign of co-existence and love.”

NOW Lebanon took to the streets of Beirut to find out how the Lebanese responded to this mix of Christianity and Islam, of the political and the religious. To those of our readers we didn’t meet out and about, please do comment below.

Rami, 28, Baabdat

Well, I think it is very degrading that no one from Hezbollah came up with a clear statement apologizing to the Christian community, and that there should be some action taken. But what else can we say? When you see a religious image being replaced by that of any other leader, it’s just degrading. They are not taking our feelings into consideration. 

Fidaa, 25, Palestinian from Beirut

It is definitely good that Hassan Nasrallah appears on this bracelet because this guy has liberated Lebanon twice, and all these guys [the saints] didn’t do anything. They just sat and prayed. So it would be better if every piece of the bracelet had Nasrallah’s face on it.

Layla, 50, South Lebanon

Anyone in this world can do what he wants. There are many artists in this world who make such things, and why not? Everyone is free to do what they want. According to me, Christians and Jews and Muslims are the same. They all have the same God. If they put Hassan Nasrallah or they put anyone else, what is the issue? The issue is to stop killing people. People believe what they want, but there should be justice for people, not the killing of children. Beyond that, what everyone believes is their own business.

Andrea, 37, Italy

I find it somehow a bit surprising, but after what Hezbollah did in the South, some people see Hassan Nasrallah as a saint. It is weird because normally you follow your own group – Christians would not have a Muslim leader on a bracelet. But maybe it is a sign that he is being accepted by others.

Fares, 33, Achrafieh

The Wilaya band was singing in a church – but the church was in the Hezbollah stronghold of Haret Hreik. So I think the priest may have agreed to the performance because he was afraid, or because he was a supporter of Aoun. But in both cases, this is something very appalling. Even those who agree with Aoun’s alliance would not agree with such a desecration of the Christian faith. When we asked Hezbollah to apologize, first they refused to comment, and then they made a comment saying that this was a free country. But this is unacceptable. Just because Christians did not react violently does not mean that this has been forgotten or forgiven at all.

Ididal, 45, Palestinian, born in Beirut

I do believe in Muslims and Christians, and I do not like fundamentalism, and they should both live together. We – I am Muslim – are sent by God, and we believe in all prophets. In the Koran we believe in Christ and in Moses and in Mary – we love Mary so much, and I love Hassan Nasrallah so much too.

Ahmad, 23, South Lebanon

Although this guy [Hassan Nasrallah] is an amazing guy, it is cool that the different sects are combined in this bracelet. So I can take it as an advantage. I don’t think it’s too much to call Hassan Nasrallah a saint, no.