(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Thousands of mourners gathered in Beirut on Sunday to celebrate the life of Lebanese singer and actress Sabah who died this week at the age of 87.
A military brass band played in the street outside St. George Cathedral in downtown Beirut, where fans clapped and sang their favorite Sabah songs.
Earlier, a troupe of dancers in traditional dress performed to the diva’s music played from loudspeakers.
Her coffin, which was draped with a Lebanese flag, was brought to church where Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai presided over the religious ceremony.
“I will call it celebration, not a funeral,” said Lebanese actress Ward El-Khal. “We feel today that we came here to share her feelings and to remember her. We will miss her.”
Sabah was buried on Sunday in the village of Bdedoun, where she was born.
The iconic singer and actress was beloved throughout the Arab world, with her seven-decade career and her colorful love life keeping her in the headlines until the end.
Born Jeanette Gergis Feghali, she later took the screen name Sabah, but was affectionately known as Sabbuha, or the nickname Shahrura, or songbird.
She began performing in the 1940s, earning a reputation for her renditions of patriotic songs as well as folkloric ballads. She was also an icon of the big screen, appearing in more than 90 movies.
Watch Part 1 of Sabah’s funeral below, courtesy of MTV Lebanon:
Watch Part 2 of Sabah’s funeral below, courtesy of MTV Lebanon:
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