10 Inspiring Sites To Visit In Lebanon During The Lent Season
Lebanon is home to countless religious sites that are worth visiting for their spiritual and historical significance, especially during the Lent season.
Some of these sites date back in time to early Christianity and one in particular to the time when Jesus dwelled in our land and performed his first recorded miracle.
From ancient to historical, here are some of these sacred sites worth visiting during this Lent season in Lebanon.
#1 Deir Saydet Hamatoura, Qadisha Valley
View on Instagram
Built out of the rocky hollow of a high cliff, on the northern side of the village of Kousba, the ancient monastery of Our Lady of Hamatoura is perched on a high cliff overlooking the Qadisha Valley.
It is an astoundingly old monastery with its church of Saint Jacob dating back to the 4th century. The monastery faced destruction by the Mamlukes multiple times, however, it was rebuilt time and time again.
View on Instagram
To get to this beautiful temple is a tough climb, but it is well worth the little effort to reach the top because what awaits is breathtaking.
#2 Lady Of Lebanon, Harissa
View on Instagram
One of Lebanon's landmarks and probably one of the most visited religious sites by people of all faith, the iconic Lady of Lebanon stands distinguishable from miles away, stretching her arms in protection and motherly welcome.
The phenomenal statue is said to weigh 15 tonnes, made from bronze and painted in white. It was completed at the end of the 19th century and inaugurated in 1908 on that piece of land donated by the Maronite Khazen family.
The view is breathtaking and more so when you get to climb the steps of the statue, which tops a small chapel.
Adjacent to the shrine, there is a massive modern cathedral of concrete and glass, which was completed in 1992.
#3 Mar Antonios, Qozhaya
View on Instagram
Dedicated to Saint Anthony the Great, the monastery is commonly called Qozhaya, a Syriac name that means The Treasure of Life.
Qozhaya is considered to be one of the oldest monasteries in the valley of Qadisha with several hermitages attached to it.
View on Instagram
The monastery is home to the first-ever printing press in the Middle East the priests used to print bibles and religious books. It dates back to 1584.
#4 Deir El-Balamand, Koura
View on Instagram
Nicknamed The Pearl of the East, Deir El Balamand is a monastery for the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch founded in 1157 in the northern town of Balamand, which was previously the Crusader County of Tripoli in the Koura District.
View on Instagram
Cistercian monks founded the monastery and maintained it until the Mamluk conquest in 1289. The monastery was reclaimed by Greek Orthodox monks in 1610.
#5 Deir Mar Maroun, Hermel
View on Instagram
The Monastery of Saint Maron (or the Cave of the Monks) is an impressive ancient site carved entirely out of stone on a cliff by monks in the 2nd century AD. It then became the residence of Saint Maroun and his followers in the 4th century AD during the establishment of the Maronite denomination in Lebanon.
#6 Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Beirut