Kobayyat – The monastery of St Doumit of the Carmelite fathers

Aabeidat, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  محبسة مار سمعان العاموديّ وادي البواليع

City:  Aabaydat

District:  Jbeil

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

محبسة مار سمعان العاموديّ وادي البواليع - عبيدات

المحبسة عبارة عن تَجوِيفٍ مَحفُورٍ فِي الصَّخر، بِدَاخِله صُوَرٌ جُدرَانِيَّةٌ تعود إِلى القَرن الثَّاني عَشَر. مِن بَينِ هِﺬهِ الجُدرَانِيّات رَسمُ الشفاعة، وَكِتَابَةٌ سِرَيَانِيَّةٌ لَم يَبقَ منهَا وَمِن الرُّسُومِ إلّا القَلِيل بِسَبَب عَوَامِل الطَّبِيعَة وَجَهل الإِنسَان. يَتمُّ الصُعُودُ إِلَى غُرَفِ الدَّير بِوَاسِطة سَلَالِم خَشَبِيَّةٍ وَأُخرَى حَدِيدِيَّةٍ مُستَحدَثَةٍ.تُجَاوِرُ دَيرَ مَار سِمعَان كَنِيسَة مَارت مُورَا، وَهِيَ عِبَارَةٌ عَن نَقرٍ في الصَخرِ.بحسب الخبراء جداريّات عبيدات تعودُ لراسم جداريّات كنيسة مار تادرس بحديدات.

The hermitage of St Simeon the stylite in Wadi al-Bouwayli'e - 'Abeydat

The monastery is a hollowed-out cavity in the rock, containing frescoes dating back to the XIIth century. Among these wall paintings is the depiction of the deisis, as well as Syriac inscriptions, of which only a few remain due to natural factors and human ignorance. Access to the monastery's chambers is achieved through newly installed wooden and iron ladders. Adjacent to the Mar Simeon monastery is the St Moura's Church, which is a carved cave in the rock. According to experts, the wall paintings in 'Abeydat belong to the same artist who painted the wall paintings in the Mar Tadros Church in Behadidat. La Ermita de San Simeón el estilita en Wadi al-Bouwayli'e - 'Abeydat El monasterio es una cavidad excavada en la roca, que contiene frescos que datan del siglo XII. Entre estas pinturas murales se encuentra la representación de la deisis, así como inscripciones siríacas, de las cuales, debido a factores naturales y la ignorancia humana, solo quedan unas pocas. Para acceder a las cámaras del monasterio se utilizan las escaleras de hierro y madera recién instaladas. Colindante al monasterio de San Simeon se encuentra la iglesia de San Moura, que es una cueva tallada en la roca. Según los expertos, las pinturas murales de 'Abeydat pertenecen al mismo artista que pintó las pinturas murales de la iglesia de San Tadros en Behadidat.

Saint Edna مار ادنا, Ain Aakrine, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  كنيسة مار إدنا

City:  Ain Aakrine

District:  Koura

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

كنيسة مار إدنا - عين عكرين

تقوم كنيسة مار إدنا في خراج بلدة عين عِكرين. بنيت على عِدَّة مراحل على أنقاضٍ رومانيّة قديمة. فهي بسوقٍ واحدٍ بعقدٍ سريريّ يحتوي على حنيَّة مُكوَّرة، وثلاثة قناطر في الجدار الجنوبيّ. على الحائط الشماليّ، بقايا جِداريّة، تعود الى القرون الوسطى . في الكنيسة لوحة نادرة لمار إدنا مرسومة على النحاس، كما وجد في داخلها بقايا رومانيّة. ومار إدنا هو لقب سريانيّ لمار طراخونبوس وهو شهيد من القرن الثالث وشفيع الأذن.

The church of St Edna - Aïn Ekrin

The ancient church stands in the vicinity of Aïn Ekrin built several stages over roman ruins. It consist of one nave with a crib vault, ending with a semi circular apse. The southern wall consists of three arched windows. The church holds a rare icon of St Edna painted on copper, and many roman poteries. The church also holds a medieval fresco. Edna is a Syriac nickname given to St Trakhonios, a Third century martyr, and the patron saint of ears.

Deir Saydet el Natour, Hraiche, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  سيدة الناطور

City:  Enfeh

District:  Koura

Governorate:  North

History: 

The convent’s ancient origin is attached to a legend. A rich man of the region committed adultery; filled with remorse, he attached a padlocked iron chain to his ankle and threw the key into the sea-shore and survived on the fish brought to him by local fishermen, who called him the guardian of the cavern. One day, a fisherman brought him a fish, in whose entrails the hermit found the key of the padlock. He knew then that God had delivered him from his suffering, and he built a convent above the cavern. He dedicated it to The Mother of God, but it also took the name of the Guardian.

The daily life of the convent is regulated by the flow of visitors who come to fulfill vows and make prayers. Sister Catherine al-Jamal is the principal resident of Dayr al-Natour, and she has done everything within her power to restore it.

According to the Crusader document, the Monastery of the Presentation of Our Lady Natour was built by Cistercians. Indeed, the Church interior resembles that of the Cistercian Church of Balamand, built in 1157. Otherwise, the history of Dayr al-Natour is hidden in obscurity, although it is said that the local Orthodox community took it over after the departure of the Crusaders. Its name is almost unmentioned by historical sources during the Mamluk and most of the Ottoman period, although it is reported that French corsairs attacked the Monastery at the beginning of the eighteenth century and killed a monk.

In 1838, the Ottoman authorities gave permission to the Monastery to be rebuilt. In the second half of the nineteenth century, it contained several monks and a superior, and it possessed fifteen dunums of land. During the First World War, it was bombarded by a Russian ship. A few years later, the Monastery lost its last Superior, Basilios Debs, who became Archbishop of Akkar. After his departure, monastic life ended at Dayr al-Natour.

During the twentieth century, the deserted monastery became a refuge for shepherds from the neighboring regions. In 1973, Sister Catherine al-Jamal moved to Dayr al-Natour and began to restore it from its ruin.