Ain El Qabou – Holy Cross Church

Monastère St. Rouhana Aramoun, Aaramoun, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  دير مار روحانا البقيعة

City:  Aaramoun Aaley

District:  Aley

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

دير مار روحانا البقيعة - عرمون

سنة ١٧٠٣ جاء قرار بناء دير مار روحانا، وكان ديرًا مشتركًا للرهبان والعابدات، في موضع مدرسةٍ قديمة لتعليم الأحداث على اسم السيّدة. وسّعه البطريرك طوبيّا الخازن ليكون مقرًّا له خلال إقامته في كسروان. سنة ١٧٧٥ ترهّب في الدير قيس بن رامح الخازن وهو المطران جرمانوس الخازن رئيس أساقفة دمشق. في ٢٥ أيلول ١٨٢٦ فصل البطريرك يوسف حبيش الرهبان عن الدير. رُمّم الدير على عدّة مراحل آخرها سنة ٢٠١٦ حين كُرّس المذبح الجديد. الدير وقف بعناية آل زوين تحت ولاية البطريركيّة المارونيّة.

The Monastery of St. Rouhana is located in Al Baqi'a - Aramoun.

In 1703, a decision was made to build a joint monastery for monks and nuns on the site of an old school dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Patriarch Tobia El Khazen renovated it to use as his residence during his stay in Keserwan. On September 25, 1826, Patriarch Youssef Hobeish separated the monks from the monastery. The monastery underwent several stages of renovation, with the last one in 2016 when the new altar was consecrated. The monastery is under the jurisdiction of the Maronite Patriarchate and is entrusted to the care of the Zwein family.

St Georges Maronite Church, Qraiyeh, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  كنيسة مار جرجس

City:  Qraiyet Saida

District:  Saida

Governorate:  South

History: 

كنيسة مار جرجس - القريّة صيدا

بُنيت الكنيسة الأولى مع قدوم المسيحيّين إلى البلدة في القرن الثامن عشر، وكانت كنيسة صغيرة قليلة الإرتفاع تعرف بالقبو. تعرّضت هذه الكنيسة للتخريب في أحداث سنة ١٨٦٠. سنة ١٩١٤ ومع ازدياد عدد الأهالي، تقرّر بناء كنيسةٍ أكبر في الموضع عينه. فبدأ المشروع في عهد المطران بولس بصبوص والخوري بطرس كسّاب، نفّذه المعمار الياس قسطنطين من عبرا. وهي كنيسة بسوقٍ واحد ينتهي بحنية وسقف قرميد. في ستّينيات القرن العشرين أضيفت إلى قبّتها برج للجرس عند الواجهة الغربيّة. اللوحة التصويريّة من عمل راجي الحاج تعود لسنة ١٩٣٩. تعرّضت الكنيسة للعبث سنة ١٩٨٥ مع تهجير المسيحيّين من شرق صيدا، وأخذَت حلّةً جديدةً بالترميم في أواخر تسعينات القرن العشرين.

The church of St George - Qrayeh Sidon

The first church was built with the settlement of christians in the region in the XVIIIth century. It was known as the Qabou (the cellar) hence it was a small structure. It was sabotaged in the war of 1860. In 1914 with the growth of the congregation, the village needed a new church. The construction began during the pontificate of Bishop Boulos Basbous and Fr. Boutros Kassab, construction was executed by Elias Constantin from Abra. The church is of a single nave ending with an apse, and a brick roof. During the late sixties a bell tower was added to the original old one on the western side. The painting is the work of Raji el Hajj 1939. The church was sabotaged during the civil war in 1985, and restored in the last decade of the XXth century.

Hamatoura Monastery, Karm Saddeh, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  دير رقاد السيدة - حمطورة

City:  Kousba

District:  Koura

Governorate:  North

History: 

On the northern side of the village of Kousba, is the monastery of Our Lady of Hamatoura, built in the rocky hollow of a high cliff which overlooks the holy valley of Kadisha. Hamatoura is 84km from Beirut.

The church of Saint Jacob is the most ancient part of the monastery, belonging to the 4th century, while a large cross from the 7th century rises above the outer doorway. Some quite well preserved frescoes dating back to the middle ages cover the walls of the church, one of which shows the Holy Virgin, Queen of Heaven, seated on a throne with the Child Jesus on her knees.

Near the monastery are two venerable churches, one dedicated to Saint Michael and the other to Saint John the Baptist. On the top of the hill one can see the church of St. George. Close by the monastery is a rocky cave where one may perceive the base of a stalagmite, where barren women come to pray in the hope of bearing a child, for this grotto was dedicated to the pagan goddess of fecundity.

Late in the 13th century, at Our Lady Monastery in Hamatoura, Saint Jacob began his ascetic life. Later, when the monastery was destroyed by the Mamlukes, he reestablished monasticism along the perimeter of the ruined monastery. In time, he rebuilt the monastery, regenerating and giving renewed vigor to monastic life in the area. His spiritual briskness, vivacity, and popularity among believers drew the attention of the Mamelukes who set their minds to stop his verve and determination and force him to convert to Islam. He stubbornly refused their relentless pressures. The Mamlukes killed him and burned the church. Today, believers and pilgrims are constantly reporting his apparitions, miraculous healings and other Grace-filled deeds.