The St George's Church attack, also known as the massacre of the Saint George Church, was a massacre of Maronite Christian worshipers in the Lebanese village of Brih in the Chouf mountains which took place on August 21, 1977, during the

Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 150,000 fatalities and led to the exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon. The religious diversity of the ...

Druze The Druze ( ; , ' or ', , '), who Endonym and exonym, call themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn (), are an Arabs, Arab Eastern esotericism, esoteric Religious denomination, religious group from West Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic ...

leftist gunmen attacked St George's Church during prayers on Sunday with automatic gunfire inside and around the church killing 13 people.

Motives

The attack was part of a series of massacres of

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

in the Chouf region which was in response following the March 16 assassination of

Kamal Jumblatt Kamal Fouad Jumblatt (; 6 December 1917 – 16 March 1977) was a Lebanese politician who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. He led the National Movement during the Lebanese Civil War. He was a major ally of the Palestine Liberation Organ ...

, founder of the

Progressive Socialist Party The Progressive Socialist Party () is a Lebanese political party. Its confessional base is in the Druze sect and its regional base is in Mount Lebanon Governorate, especially the Chouf District. Founded by Kamal Jumblatt in 1949, the party ...

by the Syrian army and traditional leader of the Druze community.

Aftermath

Brih's Christian population fled the village. However, current construction projects have taken place to repair abandoned Christian houses with the aim of repopulating the Christian households of Brih.

References

Massacres of the Lebanese Civil War Massacres of Christians in Lebanon 1977 murders in Lebanon Terrorist incidents in Lebanon Massacres in 1977 August 1977 in Asia Church massacres in Asia Chouf District Attacks on churches in Lebanon Attacks on buildings and structures in 1977 Left-wing terrorism History of the Druze 1977 mass shootings in Asia Mass shootings in Lebanon History of the Maronites Church shootings {{Maronite-stub

Motives

Aftermath

See also

References