Beit Shabab – The church of our Lady the Major

Monastery of Saint John Marcus Jbeil Lebanese Maronite Order, Byblos, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  مار يوحنا مرقس - جبيل

Year built:  1115

City:  Jbayl

District:  Jbeil

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

A beautiful Romanesque church, Eglise Saint Jean Marc is the cathedral church of Jbail-Byblos. The Church is dedicated to Saint Jean Mark, the patron saint of the town, who is said to have founded the first Christian community of Byblos. The church itself was built in 1115 A.D by the Crusaders, originally as the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. After their departure, earthquakes, invasions and other disasters have repeatedly damaged the structure, and for a few centuries it remained disused. In 1764, Emir Youssef Chehab, of the Druze dynasty that ruled a semi- autonomous Lebanon under the Ottomans, donated the church to L’Ordre Libanais Maronite (Lebanese Maronite Order) which subsequently restored and reopened in 1776 after re-dedicating it to St Jean Marc. British bombardments of Lebanon in 1840 caused further damage, but the church was restored yet again. Eglise Saint Jean Marc continues to serve the Maronite Christian community. One interesting feature in the church is its open- air domed baptistery on the northern side which dates from the original construction in 1115 A.D, The church is situated on Rue de Port, between the port and the archaeological area.

Mar Edna Monastery, Aaqoura, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  دير مار إدنا

City:  Aaqoura

District:  Jbeil

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

دير مار ادنا - العاقورة

ادنا هو لقب سريانيّ لمار طراخونيوس، وهو من القدّيسين الأكثر شهرة عند موارنة القرون الوسطى. بني هذا الدّير سنة ٥٠٩ على أنقاضٍ رومانيّة ما زالت ماثلة، ويتألّف من كنيسة بخوروسين ما يزال القسم الجنوبيّ منها ماثل. بقيّة الدّير ودير البنات أي دير الراهبات العابدات الذي بقربه أنقاض. قنطرة الحنية مزيّنة بالعديد من الصلبان والنقوش التي ترمز للتجسد والفداء. كان الدّير مقرًّا لأساقفة العاقورة مدى قرون ومن أشهرهم البطريرك يوحنا السابع العاقوري الذي توفي سنة ١٣٥٧.

The monastery of St Edna - Aqoura

Edna is a title given by syriacs to St Trakhonius, who was one of the most venerated saints by the medieval Maronites. The monastery was built in 509 over roman ruins that are still visible, and it consists of a two aped church, with the southern part of the church still standing. The rest of the church and monastery and the adjacent nunnery are all in ruins. The apse is decorated with crosses and symbols of the Incarnation and Redemption. The monastery was the seat of Aqoura’s bishops for centuries, the most famous of them was patriarch John VII El Aqoury who died in 1357.

St.Rock Church كنيسة مار روكز, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  دير مار روكز

City:  Qleiaat Kesrouane

District:  Keserwan

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

دير مار روكز – مراح المير القليعات
يُعتَبَر دير مار روكز – مراح المير أوَّل ديرٍ للرهبانيَّة في قضاء كسروان. بُني في ٢٦ أيلول ١٨٥٤، في عهد الأب العام سابا كرَيدي، بعد أن حصلت الرهبانيّة على رضى البطريرك يوسف راجي الخازن. وكان الانتهاء من بناء الدير سنة ١٨٦٢. سنة ١٩٩٠ رُمّم الدّير بعد القذائف التي دمّرت قسمًا كبيرًا منه، وبنيت بقربه مدرسة لتعليم الأولاد.

The Monastery of St Rock - Mrah el Mir Qlayaat
The Monastery of St Rock is the first one for the Lebanese Maronite Order in Kesserwan. It was built in 26 september 1854 during the reign of Abbot Saba Kreidy after the approval of Patriarch Youssef Raji el Khazen, and the construction was done in 1862. In 1990 the monastery was renovated after it was damaged by bombshells during the civil war. A shcool was added to educate local children.