Thousands of Jordanians flocked to the village of Hammoud in Karak Governorate, southern Jordan, to participate in the funeral of the bodies of the victims of the armed attack that targeted a Greek Orthodox church on Friday.
The funeral ceremony, which was attended by a BBC Arabic team, witnessed the participation of crowds coming from various governorates of the Kingdom, as the squares were filled with mourners, including men, women and families, in addition to clerics from various sects.
Father Marcus Marji, the Greek Orthodox parish priest of Prophet Elijah in Al-Wahadna, said, “What happened two days ago is strange to Jordan and its identity, and whoever carried out this terrorist massacre does not belong to any Jordanian tribe.”
He explained that the site where the victims were buried would be called “Martyrs’ Square” in their honor.
Speaking to BBC Arabic, Father Marcus stressed the bonds of brotherhood and love between Muslims and Christians in Jordan, saying: “What we witnessed today at the burial site represents this brotherhood and love, as Muslims were helping to take the martyrs to the cemetery.”
He added: "This is a message to all countries of the world that it is difficult for anyone to penetrate the ranks of the Jordanians or enter among them."
Eight victims of the attack were laid to rest, namely Dr. Maher Adel Zureikat, Ihab Nayef Al-Halasa, Dr. Fadi Assem Al-Halasa, Dr. Khaled Mikhail Al-Halasa, Dr. Asem Amin Al-Barqan, Alaa Khalil Al-Masarwa, Marwan Khalil Khaitan, and Mazen Rasmi Al-Qasous.
As for Doctor Muhammad Al-Qusous, the ninth victim, his body is scheduled to be buried on Monday in the capital, Amman.
The BBC Arabic team monitored the atmosphere of sadness that prevailed over the funeral ceremony, amid the sounds of chants and wreaths of flowers that filled the square.
The procession of bodies arrived from the hospital to the burial site in the church square, accompanied by security forces who were deployed at the place.
Basil Al-Barqan, a relative of the victims, spoke to a BBC Arabic team in Karak about the moment he received news of the armed attack.
He said: "We received strange, tragic news about Jordan. We confirmed that it was a terrorist operation because whoever opened fire on a church where a woman's funeral was being held could only be a takfiri terrorist."
Al-Bargan called on the security services to uncover the circumstances of the attack and quickly arrest the perpetrators alive, to find out “the party that provided them with weapons and who supported their operation,” he said.
Al-Barqan considered that the perpetrators of the attack were “groups outside Jordan,” adding: “They do not belong to this country. They are strangers to all of us.”
The village of Hammoud is located northeast of the city of Karak, in southern Jordan. It is the home of the Hilsa clan, one of the largest Christian clans in the governorate, and the armed attack occurred during a funeral ceremony for one of its members.
For generations, the villagers lived in houses built of stone and mud, before some of them moved to newer homes within the village, while other families settled in different areas of Karak Governorate and the rest of the governorates of the Kingdom, or migrated abroad in search of work opportunities and improved living conditions.
Although many of her children moved to other areas, Hammoud remained present in their memories, in the kinship ties that united them, and in the stories passed down through the generations about the homes, the land, and the neighbors.
Doctors, academics, and figures emerged from the Hilsa clan who held ministerial and parliamentary positions and contributed to various areas of public life in Jordan.
Among the most prominent figures associated with the clan are Dr. Hanna Al-Qusous, who is considered the first Jordanian doctor in the twentieth century, and the novelist Ghaleb Hilsa, whose family roots go back to the village of Hamoud.
The importance of the village is not limited to being home to the Hilsa clan, but it also reflects an aspect of the history of Christians in Karak, their presence extending across generations, their connection to the land and their participation in public life, within a social fabric formed over many years of coexistence.
Today, the shooting incident has cast a shadow over the village and its people, a tragedy that is not limited to the number of victims alone, but whose effects extend to the families and the community to which they belong.
In the Vatican, Pope Leo
The Pope expressed his solidarity with the Christian community in Karak and with Jordan, praising its peaceful coexistence and mutual respect between followers of different religions.
