Nasrallah funeral: Hezbollah sees things in a big way for a ceremony 'in early 2025'

Hezbollah plans to hold a large-scale official funeral "in early 2025" for Hassan Nasrallah, the iconic former secretary-general of the party, who was killed in a massive Israeli strike on Sept. 27. This was announced Tuesday evening by Hassan Fadlallah, a member of parliament for the party, during an interview with al-Jadeed.

The pro-Iranian party thus intends to prepare a "popular funeral" for Nasrallah, as well as for his expected successor, Hashem Safieddine, former head of the party's executive council, whose death was made official on Oct. 23 after being the target of a massive air strike on the night of Oct. 3.

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Two separate burials possible

"However, it is possible that the two burials will be separate," with Hashem Safieddine possibly being buried in the south of the country, the MP said, while the former secretary-general would be buried in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The exact date of the ceremony, scheduled for "early 2025" has not yet been confirmed and will be announced by Naim Qassem, the current head of the party, "once the preparations are finalized."

The MP explained that "time is required to coordinate the movements of participants, both within the country and beyond its borders, and to organize and supervise the preparations." He said that the planned ceremonies "will extend over a large area of ​​land" and that "a specialized team has been mobilized to manage these operations."

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When Nasrallah's death fuels conspiracy theories

Nasrallah and Safieddine provisionally buried

Nasrallah was temporarily buried in a secret location, for fear that his funeral would be targeted by Israel. This was in order to respect Islamic customs, which normally require the dead to be buried quickly. Muslim rites, both Shiite and Sunni, allow for burial in a temporary location in exceptional circumstances.

In the hours following the death of the leader adored by his supporters and at the head of Hezbollah for 32 years, reactions of denial and conspiracy theories began to circulate on social networks, where some insisted that Nasrallah was hidden for his safety or to better surprise his public as well as his enemies.

In early October, a memorial ceremony for Nasrallah was held in Tehran, in the presence of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following the start of the cease-fire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah on Nov. 27, which put an end to more than a year of cross-border hostilities and two months of open warfare between the two belligerents, hundreds of people and Hezbollah supporters gathered on the evening of Nov. 30 in the southern suburbs of Beirut to pay tribute to him.