Remembering Sabra and Shatila 16-18 September 1982
This Litany uses the traditional form of a corporate prayer for the dead, such as might be found in the Book of Common Prayer. Thanks to Randy Heyn-Lamb for raising up a commemoration of this horrific event in prayer.
Beginning on the evening of September 16th, 1982, and continuing until the morning of the 18th, between 460 and 3,500 Palestinian refugees and Shiite Lebanese civilians in the Sabra neigborhood of Beirut and the neighboring Shatila refugee camp were massacred by militia members affiliated with the right-wing Lebanese Christian Kataeb (Phalange) Party.
As part of the Lebanese Civil War, the Phalangists were ordered by their ally, the Israeli Military, to clear Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) fighters out of Sabra and Shatila. The Israeli Army surrounded the area and stationed troops at the exits to prevent camp residents from leaving. Although Israeli commanders received reports of the ongoing Phalange atrocities, not only did they not take action to stop the massacre but fired illuminating flares at night.
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful (Bismillah ir Rahman, ir Raheem).
Have mercy on your servants.
In the Name of God, the Way, the Truth, the Life (Bismillah ir Rasheed, al Haqq, al Hayy)
Have mercy on your servants.
In the Name of God the Holy, (Bismillah al Quddoos)
Have mercy on your servants.
In the Name of the One, the First, the Last, the Eternal (Bismillah al Ahad, al 'Awwal, al 'Akhir, al Samad)
Have mercy on your servants.
From all evil, sin, and tribulation,
Good Lord, deliver them.
By Your presence among us, by Your understanding of our pain and fears,
Good Lord, deliver them.
By Your power over the grave, and to redeem your creation
Good Lord, deliver them.
May it please You to deliver the souls of Your servants from the power of evil and from eternal death,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.
May it please you to mercifully pardon all their sins,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.
May it please you to grant them a place of refreshment and everlasting blessedness,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.
May it please you to give them joy and gladness.
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.
Into your hands, O God of Peace (As-Salaam), we commend your servants. Acknowledge them, we humbly pray, as sheep of your own fold, lambs of your own flock, sinners of your own redeeming. Receive them into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of your saints in light.
Amen.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord:
And let light perpetual shine upon them
May their souls, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
