After his father's death, Ghassibe helps his family to survive by teaching religion to children in the countryside. It is at this point that Ghassibe's extraordinary Faith reveals itself. It is in this love for God that he enters the Jesuit seminary in Beirut. Ghassibe's Passion arrives upon his decision, one Christmas, to return to his native village. He never reaches his home, however, as he is captured and held hostage by a Muslim family who want to blackmail Ghassibe's family for land. Ghassibe's witness to Faith until death is provoked following his decision to knowingly make the sign of the Cross in this Muslim house. The Muslim men of the house, enraged by this, kill Ghassibe.
Later, after his death, his family discovered a letter which was written by Ghassibe himself. In it, they learned that even before his death, he had a premonition about his future martyrdom. It might probably have started when three of is friends were killed for their faith.
In the testament, he wrote, "I have only one request, forgive those who killed me." He also offered his blood for the conversion of sinners in Lebanon and for peace, love, and reconciliation not only in Lebanon, but also in the whole world.
YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaJRl4J1kyo
ReplyDeleteAid to the Church in Need presents: This documentary follows the life and martyrdom of the young seminarian, Gassibe Kayrouz in Lebanon. The documentary re-finds his family members who tell his the extraordinary story of his life and faith and his martyrdom at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists - which he mysteriously anticipated and about which he wrote his "Testament". The program also is extraordinary in that the family knows the assassins and, despite this, still appeals for reconciliation with all Muslims.
The program is made in view of the interest in the Witnesses to Faith of the 20th century. This program reveals the story of Ghassibe Kayrouz, his love for God and his witness to this love until death.