It is a condition of life in Lebanon that unresolved political tensions, simmering perennially beneath the surface, need only a small spark to erupt. The events of 13 April 1975, seen as the start of the brutal Lebanese Civil War, was one such spark. It destroyed the country in the following 15 years and haunting it ever since. It was a Sunday morning, and the Beirut Church of Notre Dame was hosting a high-profile family baptism, as well as the leader of one of Lebanon’s powerful Christian parties and militias, Kataeb.
Outside the church, a scuffle broke out between a group of Palestinians and Kataeb militiamen. The argument became violent and a Palestinian was shot dead, leading to a retaliatory drive-by shooting that killed four people, including the father of the baptised child, as the congregation exited the church.
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