Sarba, South Lebanon – The new Church of Our Lady

Lehfed, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  دير مار سابا الناسك

City:  Lehfed

District:  Jbeil

Governorate:  Mount Lebanon

History: 

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.

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.

Saint Moura, Ehden, Lebanon

Name in arabic:  دير مارت مورا

City:  Ehden

District:  Zgharta

Governorate:  North

History: 

دير مارت مورا - اهدن

بحسب البطريرك الدويهيّ بني الدّير سنة ١٣٣٩. كان دير مرت مورا أوّل كرسي لمطرانيّة إهدن، قبل انتقالها إلى دير مار سركيس رأس النهر. سنة ١٦٩٥ أعطى البطريرك الدويهيّ الدّير لمؤسسي الرهبانيّة الحلبيّة اللبنانيّة ليختبروا قانونهم الجديد وحياتهم المشتركة، فانضمّ إليهم آخر ناسك عاش فيه وهو أنطونيوس الإهدني. سنة ١٦٩٨ انشقّ بعض الرهبان عن القرعلي وأسسوا رهبانيّة جديدة مع جبرايل حوّا في مارت مورا لم تدم طويلًا. يتألّف الدير من كنيسة ذات عقد سريريّ، وغرفة كبيرة ملاصقة. رُمّم الدّير سنة ١٩٨٣.

The monastery of St Moura - Ehden

According to Patriarch Doueihy the monastery was built in 1339, and was the first seat for the bishops of Ehden before they moved tho St Serge’s monastery. In 1695 Patriarch Doueihy gave the monastery to the newly founded Alepan Lebanese Order, so the founding fathers could experience their new monastic rule and communal life. The last hermit of the monastery Antonios el Ehdeny joined the order. In 1698 the first split in the order happened and some monks decided to start a new order with Gebrayel Hawa in Mart Moura. This second order didn’t persist. The monastery consists of a crib vaulted church with an adjacent room, and was restored in 1983.