Hermel – The monastery of St Maroun on the Orontes

Hermel, Lebanon

Other Details

دير مار مارون على نهر العاصي

Hermel

Hermel

Baalbek-Hermel

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.

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Lehfed – The monastery of St Eusabius of Caesarea

كنيسة مار حوشب, Lehfed, Lebanon

دير مار حوشب

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Mount Lebanon

دير مار حوشب - لحفد

دير مار حوشب يقع شرقيّ البلدة. وهو عِبارة عن كَهف في الشير المُسمَّى شير العاميّة. بُنيَ الدير في القَرن الثاني عشر، إذ اختار البطريرك يوحنا اللِحفِدي أحد أساقفته الأربعة للإقامة فيه. وللدّير ثلاث صوامع متعلقة به وهي اليوم آثار.

The monastery of St Eusabius of Caesarea - Lehfed

The monastery is located in the eastern side of the village, like the old monasteries of the Qadisha valley. It is a cave inside a cliff called El Aamlyeh. The monastery dates back to the XIIth century, when Patriarch John of Lehfed appointed one of his four bishops as it’s head.

Lehfed – The monastery of St Sabas the hermit

Lehfed, Lebanon

دير مار سابا الناسك

Lehfed

Jbeil

Mount Lebanon

دير مار سابا الناسك - لحفد

هو دير قديم يعود لأوائل القرون الوسطى، لم يبقَ منه سوى الكنيسة. الكنيسة مبنيّة بعقدٍ سريريّ وحنيتين بمذبحين، على اسم السيّدة ومار سابا. على الجدران ماثلة بقايا جداريّات. إستُخدم الدّير كمركزٍ أسقفيّ في حبريّة البطريرك يوحنّا اللحفديّ. رُمّم أخيرًا سنة ٢٠١٠ بمناسبة تطويب الأخ اسطفان نعمه.

The monastery of St Sabas the hermit - Lehfed

An ancient ruined monastery that dates back to the high middle ages, with a church still standing. The church is a crib vault structure with a double apse and two altars dedicated respectively to the Madonna and St Sabas. Some traces of the frescoes can be noticed on the walls. The church was an episcopal residence during the pontificate of Patriarch John of Lehfed. The church was restored in 2010 with the canonisation of Blessed Estfan Nehme.

Bhersaf – Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Antelias - Bikfaiya Road, Lebanon

كنيسة سيّدة المعونات ساقية المسك

1812

Bhersaf

Metn

Mount Lebanon

بُنيت الكنيسة سنة ١٨١٢ وكرّسها المطران الياس محاسب سنة ١٨٤١. بُنيت القبّة بسعي المغتربين سنة ١٩١٠. لوحة العذراء التي تعلو المذبح منقولة عن مادونا سيستينا لرافايل. في الكنيسة العديد من الأيقونات والسقف مكسو بالجداريات من عمل أ. روكز سنة ٢٠١٢.

The church was built in 1812, and consecrated by Bishop Elias Mhaseb in 1841. The Campanile was built in 1910 with the donations of the village’s diaspora. The painting of the Madona over the high altar is a copy of the Madona Sistina of Raphael. The church is rich in icons, and the vault is covered in frescoes painted by I. Roukos in 2012.