Marie and Joseph Khoueiri after saying "I do," on their wedding day on April 13, 1975. Photo sent by the couple.
They chose to get married on a Sunday. Maybe because then every day, even Sunday, felt easy and carefree. They chose the spring, likely because in Lebanon, the season turned the country to absolute beauty.They chose to get married on April 13, 1975.How could Marie and Joseph Khoueiri have imagined, even for a moment, that the first day of their life together would also be the last day of the Lebanon they knew? That the date meant to mark the happiest moment of their lives would become the one so many Lebanese would curse forever?Like them, few Lebanese realized that the country had been doused in gasoline that day, with Christian and pro-Palestinian militias being just young men playing recklessly with matches. Today, even those who have lost parts of their memory remember every detail of April 13. The memories live on, under the skin,...
They chose to get married on a Sunday. Maybe because then every day, even Sunday, felt easy and carefree. They chose the spring, likely because in Lebanon, the season turned the country to absolute beauty.They chose to get married on April 13, 1975.How could Marie and Joseph Khoueiri have imagined, even for a moment, that the first day of their life together would also be the last day of the Lebanon they knew? That the date meant to mark the happiest moment of their lives would become the one so many Lebanese would curse forever?Like them, few Lebanese realized that the country had been doused in gasoline that day, with Christian and pro-Palestinian militias being just young men playing recklessly with matches. Today, even those who have lost parts of their memory remember every detail of April 13. The memories live on, under the skin,...