Death of Emira Abillama Salem

The young women of Lebanon have lost a refined emira of one of the most deep-rooted noble families. She passed into God's mercy following a Caesarean operation in which the baby girl survived and the mother died.

She is Emira Kathir Abillama Salem, daughter of Emir Murad and Emira Asma Abillama, granddaughter of the Emirs Qablan and Yusuf Ismail, who were among the great notables of the Lebanese in the days of the Ottomans and who governed the lands of Metn and Kesrouan for many years.

She was born in Jdeideh, Beirut, around the year 1923, and was educated at the St. Joseph School of the Josephite Sisters in Msaytbeh, where she distinguished herself by acting the most important roles in its plays; she took great care of its orphanage and its alumnae association, as she did later in assisting charitable societies, chief among them the Marian Compassion.

She was wed to the well-known pharmacist Mr. Nicolas Salem on the third of March 1943, and lived with him for three years, the two of them sipping the cups of bliss. When her delivery proved difficult last summer, the Caesarean operation was performed on her and carried her off — mourned for herself, for her refinement, her beauty, and her youth. May God have mercy on her.