فيروز

Nouhad Wadi Haddad (Arabic: نهاد حداد‎‎) (born November 21, 1935), known as Fairuz (Arabic: فيروز‎‎, also spelled Fairouz or Fayrouz, meaning turquoise in ِِArabic), is a Lebanese singer who is among the most widely admired and deeply respected living singers in the Arab world. Her songs are constantly heard throughout the region. She was first noticed at the International Festival of Baalbeck, where she performed many of her songs. She became famous after appearing on the "Lebanese Nights" part of the festival for many successive years. Fairuz is commonly known as "Ambassador to the Stars", "Neighbor to the Moon" (for her song about the moon of Machgara), and the "Jewel of Lebanon". She was born to a Lebanese family that is Christian Syriac Orthodox and Syriac Maronite. She is of the Greek Orthodox faith, having converted when she married Assi Rahbani, one of the two Rahbani brothers who had helped shape her singing career. She is also the mother of Lebanese singer and composer Ziad Rahbani and of Lebanese director and photographer Rima Rahbani. Fairouz sings to describe the beauty, peace and freedom of Lebanon. This is especially mentioned in her song: "Tetloj El Dini", in which she sings: "Taljak El Mahabbi ou Shamsak El Herreye" (English: Love is in the snow of Lebanon and freedom is in the sun of Lebanon). Nonetheless, the Good Friday is an annual ceremony that is set as a tradition by Fairouz, who has been holding the ceremony at different churches from all over Lebanon, concentrating on abandoned churches (old ones that need or are under renovation) according to the Syriac/Greek/Russian Orthodox liturgy.