Ouata Houb – Couvent Saint Antonios

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.

VALOORES, Baouchriyeh, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  مار يوسف

City:  Baouchriyeh

District:  Metn

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

St. Georges Cathedral sarba, Sarba, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  كاتدرائيّة مار جرجس

City:  Jounieh Sarba

District:  Keserwan

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

كاتدرائيّة مار جرجس - صربا

سنة ١٨٦٩ اذ كان المطران يوحنّا الحاج (البطربرك لاحقًا) أسقفًا على بعلبك، وكانت صربا تابعة له، إشترى قطعة أرضٍ من بطريركيّة الروم الملكيّين الكاثوليك. فبنيت الكاتدرائيّة بسعي الخوري بولس الأشقر البجّاني. مع موت البطريرك الحاج سنة ١٨٩٠، ضمّت صربا إلى أبرشيّة دمشق. وسنة ١٩٦٠ فصلت عن دمشق لتصبح منطقة صربا نيابةً بطريركيّةً مركزها هذه الكاتدرائيّة. يتميّز بناء الكاتدرائيّة بتصميمٍ بازيليكيّ بسوقٍ واحدة وثلاث مذابح. اللوحات التي تعلو المذابح من عمل الرسّام داوود القرم وتعود للأوائل القرن العشرين.

St George’s cathedral - Sarba

In 1869 Mgr.John el Hajj (later patriarch) archbishop of Baalbeck, since Sarba was a dependency of Baalbeck back then, bought a parcel of land from the Melkite Catholic patriarchate to build a church. The construction of the new church began with Fr Boulos al Achkar el Bejjany. When Patriarch el Hajj passed away, Sarba was transferred juridically from the see of Baalbeck to the see of Damascus. In 1860 Sarba was proclaimed an independent ecclesiastical province, a patriarchal vicariate with the cathedral at it’s center. The structure is a single nave with three apses, and three altars. The church holds three early XXth century paintings by Daoud el Qorm.