Aïn Ekrin – The church of St Edna

Saint Romanos, Hadchit, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  كنيسة مار رومانوس - حدشيت

Year built:  1899

City:  Hadchit

District:  Bcharre

Governorate:  North

History: 

بُنيت الكنيسة الأولى في القرن السابع عشر فوق بقايا هيكل رومانيّ على يد الخوري يرد الحدشيتي. أواخر القرن التاسع عشر أُعيد بناؤها على يد الخوري مخايل الخوري يونس وأُتِمَّ سنة ١٨٩٩. اللوحات الثلاث الرئيسيّة من عمل داود القرم، أمّا الجداريّات فهي أحدث عهدًا تعود لمنتصف القرن العشرين وهي من عمل مالك شحيبر طوق.

The church was first built in the 17th century over the ruins of a roman temple by Fr. Yard of Hadshit. During the 19th century the church was rebuilt by Fr. Mikhael el Khoury Younes in 1899. The three main paintings were done by Dawoud al Qorm, The murals are more recent from the mid 20th century by Malek Chehaiber Tawk. 

Hermel, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  دير مار مارون على نهر العاصي

City:  Hermel

District:  Hermel

Governorate:  Baalbek-Hermel

History: 

The monastery of St Maroun on the Orontes - Hermel

The monastery was originally a natural cave consisting of three sections, it was expanded by Roman builders working in nearby stone quarries. It is situated above Ain El Zarqa, one of the sources of the Orontes River, and connected to the river via a corridor carved into the mountainside. This was used to fetch water and provide a hiding place during enemy attacks. In the VIth century, Maronite monks sought refuge in the cave after facing persecution in northern Syria, where their monastery was destroyed and its contents dispersed. The monks expanded the cave and carved an altar, turning the cave into a new monastery. This marked the beginning of the Maronite migration to the mountains of Lebanon along the Orontes River. Over time, the monastery was neglected and became an abandoned farm. In 2011, it was visited by Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi and has since been restored in 2018, returning to the Maronite Church. The monastery serves as a testament to the spread and perseverance of the Maronite Church in the Levant.

St rouhana church - كنيسة مار روحانا الرعائية, Ain Kfaa, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  كنيسة مار روحانا

City:  Ain Kfaa

District:  Jbeil

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

بناها الخوري يوحنا إبن الخوري فرج الحداد، وقد عُثرَ على قرطاس في كنيسة تحوم يؤيّد ذلك.
وكنيسة مار روحانا مشيّدة على بقايا برج روماني قديم آثاره ما زالت ماثلة، فزاويته الجنوبيّة الغربيّة راسخة على حجارة ضخمة من نفس مقلع حجارة بعلبك بحسب الخبراء. اما درج الكنيسة فداخليّ، وفي خاصرة حنية الكنيسة حجرة مخفية أعدّها القدماء مدفنًا لكنوزهم.
وبالقرب من هذا المعبد، اكتشف الأثريّون مدافن قديمة واستدلّوا على منزلة مهمة لمن سكن في هذه الأماكن الأثريّة.
تجدر الإشارة إلى أنّ مار روحانا المرنّم هو لقب محبّب للسريان معناه الروحانيّ، يطلق على مار قبريانوس الناسك.
St Rouhana’s church - Aïn kfaa
It was built by Fr. Youhanna son of Fr. Faraj Al Haddad, as it is attested in a manuscript belonging to the parish of Thoum.
The church is built on top of an old roman tour, the stones of which are quarried from the same source as the Great temples of Baalbek. The church has an indoor stone ladder.
Near the church many roman ruins where found and a noble necropolis.
St Rouhana the cantor is a title given by the syriacs and is translated to "the spiritual", it is given to St Cyprian the hermit.