Silent Witness - From Maghdouche
26.5.04
25.5.04
20.5.04
Yaakoub, Jacobo
Yaakoub (Jacobo in Mexican) Ammoun is our grandfather's brother. He was 14 years old when he immigrated to Mexico, after the World war One. On the ship he taught himself Spanish.
He got married and a new baby came to the world, her name was Benila. She became a famous journalist and get married to a Mexican officer in the army.
Benila and the journalist got 2 daughters, Maryam and Lazara. Both are now teachers.
Maryam has 2 children Mario and Rimon.
Lazara has 4 children, Jacobo, Nimo, Mario and Maryam.
------------
If you want take a look at the family tree to see it more clearly. Jacobo name stand first name on the second colomn.
To the Mexican relatives: please contact me to get know you more and to put the information and photos you want. I know the names might be spelled wrong and there are a lot to tell us about you.
Aug 2000: I received from Jihad 3 email addresses for our relatives in Mexico:
Jacobo Fuentes
al6988@hotmail.com
Myriam Fuentes
nena_fuentes@latinmail.com
Rubén Fuentes
rubensfuentes@yahoo.com
He got married and a new baby came to the world, her name was Benila. She became a famous journalist and get married to a Mexican officer in the army.
Benila and the journalist got 2 daughters, Maryam and Lazara. Both are now teachers.
Maryam has 2 children Mario and Rimon.
Lazara has 4 children, Jacobo, Nimo, Mario and Maryam.
------------
If you want take a look at the family tree to see it more clearly. Jacobo name stand first name on the second colomn.
To the Mexican relatives: please contact me to get know you more and to put the information and photos you want. I know the names might be spelled wrong and there are a lot to tell us about you.
Aug 2000: I received from Jihad 3 email addresses for our relatives in Mexico:
Jacobo Fuentes
al6988@hotmail.com
Myriam Fuentes
nena_fuentes@latinmail.com
Rubén Fuentes
rubensfuentes@yahoo.com
LA VIERGE AU LIBAN par Soeur Marie-Roger Zoghbi
The information in this column downloaded from www.opuslibani.org.lb
Merci
LA VIERGE AU LIBAN par Soeur Marie-Roger Zoghbi, S.F.M.
Fille de notre Orient, la Vierge Marie est toujours "au coeur de nos vies". Non seulement ses sanctuaires parsèment nos chemins et de nombreuses églises lui sont dédiées, mais le culte marial demeure dans nos familles où l’on récite le chapelet chaque soir, au mois de mai. Gardienne de nos familles, de nos paroisses et de chaque pouce de notre cher Liban, la Vierge Marie nous porte tous dans son sein. N’est-elle pas "La terre dans laquelle a été semée l’Eglise? comme le dit Saint Ephrem. Pas une église du Liban sans une icône mariale; même dans les églises dédiées à d’autres saints, un autel latéral est réservé à Marie. Ce qui exprime une réalité profonde: La communion des Saints comme réalité inséparable du Christ et de sa Mère.
Nous ne présentons pas, aujourd’hui, un tableau exhaustif des églises dédiées à Marie, au Liban.
Si nous parcourons le Liban, du Nord au Sud, de l’Est à l’Ouest, nous pourrons y visiter Marie tant dans les églises que dans les humbles sanctuaires des routes.
Nous nous limitons aux sanctuaires mariaux les plus connus au Liban.
La Vierge de l’Assomption à Bkerké
Par un décret du quatrième synode communautaire convoqué par le Patriarche Maronite Joseph ESTEPHAN, en 1790, Bkerké est devenu la résidence hivernale du Patriarche: "Le couvent de Bkerké, cite le décret, sera la résidence stable du Siège Patriarcal au lieu du couvent de la Vierge à Qannoubine". Ce n’est qu’en 1830 que ce décret fut appliqué avec le Patriarche Joseph HOBEICHE.
A vingt kilomètres de Beyrouth, la résidence patriarcale s’élève au flanc d’une colline verte de Kesrouan. A votre droite, à l’entrée, l'Eglise de l’Assomption, tableau peint par le célèbre artiste Daoud CORM. En s’élevant vers le ciel, la Vierge semble attirer tous ses enfants qui la regardent, les mains levées en signe d’intercession.
Le Couvent de la Vierge à Dimane
A une altitude de 1350 mètres, à Dimane, le Patriarche Elias Hoyek (1899-1931) a voulu édifier la résidence estivale du patriarche maronite. Cette humble fondation domine l’ancien couvent de Qannoubine de la Vallée Sainte de Qadisha où siégeait le patriarche durant environ quatre siècles de 1440 à 1830. La pierre inaugurale date du 28 septembre 1899 c’est-à-dire, environ huit mois après l’élection de Monseigneur Hoyek. Il confie à son neveu, l’artiste Youssef El-Hoyek, le soin de peindre le tableau de l’Assomption de la Vierge sur l’abside principale de l’église.
Puis vint le Patriarche Antoine ARIDA avec qui fut complétée l’oeuvre monumentale grâce au talent exceptionnel du peintre Saliba DOUAIHI qui orna de beaux tableaux le plafond et les murs de l’église: l’apothéose de la Résurrection du Christ et de son ascension, l’apothéose de l’Assomption de Marie et son couronnement, l’apothéose de la Création de Dieu.
La Vierge de Qannoubine dans la Vallée de Qadisha ou la Vallée Sainte
"Qannoubine": mot d’origine grecque qui signifie "la vie en Communauté"
La Vallée Sainte s’étend sur une longueur de 35 Km. Elle fut le refuge des Maronites qui y vinrent au milieu du VIIe siècle et y vécurent ensemble patriarche, moines, ermites, peuple. Tout, dans cette Vallée, rappelle la lutte courageuse pour sauvegarder la foi.
Avant l’arrivée des Maronites, le Couvent de Qannoubine était, au VIe siècle, un centre de rencontre pour les futurs ermites avant leur départ pour la solitude avec Dieu.
Ce fut Théodore le Grand (370-395) qui fonda ce couvent et le confia à la protection de la Vierge Marie.
Le patriarche Jean JAJI s’y réfugia pour fuir la haine des Mamluks.
Qannoubine demeura durant, environ quatre siècles, Le centre vital de la Communauté Maronite. Les cellules sont creusées dans les roches. On y trouve des icônes du XVe et du XVI siècle ainsi que des documents écrits en langues syriaque et latine. C’est dans cette Vallée que parut la première imprimerie au Liban. En 1610, on y imprima le livre des psaumes en syriaque.
Notre Dame du Liban à Harissa
Située à une altitude de 600 mètres et à une distance de 25 Km. de Beyrouth, la colline de Harissa est le centre focal des Communautés Catholiques au Liban.
En effet, au flanc de la colline, nous voyons le Siège Patriarcal Maronite à Bkerké. Au Sommet, c’est le Couvent des Pères Paulistes Grecs Melkites Catholiques. Un peu plus haut, à quelques centaines de mètres, le Siège de la Nonciature Apostolique au Liban et, à proximité, le Couvent des Pères Franciscains. Plus loin, le Couvent de Charfé, Siège du Patriarcat Syriaque Catholique et, sur la colline de Bzoummar, le Patriarcat Arménien Catholique.
C’est là, à Harissa, que le Patriarche Maronite Elias HOYEK (1899-1931), de pair avec Monseigneur Carlos DUVAL, délégué Apostolique au Liban, décide de Commémorer le cinquantième anniversaire de la définition du dogme de l’Immaculée Conception, proclamé par Pie IX, le 8 décembre 1854, par l’érection d’une statue de la Vierge sur la colline de Harissa. Cette statue trônant sur les hauts lieux est analogue à celle de la Sainte Vierge apparue en 1830 à Catherine Labouré. L’artiste Durenne l’avait présentée en douze pièces dont le poids total atteint les quatorze tonnes. Vers la fin de juillet 1906, elle est transportée à Harissa et déposée sur un socle-piédestal en spirale d’une centaine de marches, plan préparé par l’ingénieur français GIOT. L’oeuvre est achevée en 1908. L’inauguration est présidée par S.B. Mgr Hoyek, le 3 mai 1908, jubilé sacerdotale du Pape Pie X et jubilé des apparitions de la Vierge à Lourdes. Un induit du pape Pie X vient marquer l’événement: "indulgence plénière à ceux qui visitent le sanctuaire Notre-Dame du Liban en remplissant les conditions requises" .
Aujourd’hui, c’est l’immense Basilique Notre-Dame du Liban qui s’élève à Harissa. Elle accueillera, bientôt, le 10 mai au soir, Sa Sainteté le Pape Jean-Paul II qui y rencontrera les douze mille jeunes du Liban assoiffés de le voir et de l’écouter. C’est Jésus, évidemment, qui les réunira. Il sera là pour canaliser les forces vives de notre jeunesse libanaise.
Reine du Liban, souveraine des monts et des mers, la Vierge protège ses enfants partout dans le monde. Ce monument de Harissa demeure à jamais un symbole de foi et d’espérance.
Harissa est un lieu de pèlerinage. Souvent, on y va à pied en prenant comme point de départ: Jounieh. On y rencontre des visiteurs de toutes les confessions: chrétiens et non-chrétiens.
Vers elle, s’élève notre cantique: "Et que tous nos villages, "O Vierge du Liban, "accueillent le message "De Jésus, ton enfant".
"O Reine du Liban, nous vous supplions d’accorder à l’Orient chrétien prosterné à vos pieds, de demeurer uni dans la foi et dans la soumission filiale au Siège de Pierre afin que, dans la foi et la joie, nous vous invoquions: Reine du Liban et de tout l’Orient. Amen".
La Vierge de Mantara – Maghdouché
Le sanctuaire de la Vierge de Mantara s’élève sur une belle colline de Maghdouché, au Sud du Liban. Cet endroit, parait-il, fut choisi, avant Jésus-Christ, comme tour de garde chez les prêtres païens pour veiller à la sécurité de leur déesse Astarté.
La tradition raconte que lorsque Jésus vint à Sidon, la Vierge Marie qui l’accompagnait, s’arrêta pour l’attendre au sommet de la colline, dans une grotte. D'où le nom arabe de cet endroit: "Mantara"... Le roi Constantin le Grand transforma la grotte en sanctuaire pour la Vierge... Le Roi Louis IX y éleva aussi une tour de garde...
Quant à la redécouverte de la grotte, elle eut lieu, accidentellement, par un berger. en 1726. L’icône de la Vierge se trouvait posée près de l’autel. Elle est de style byzantin et remonte au VIIe ou VIIIe siècle. Depuis lors, la grotte est transformée en lieu de pèlerinage pour toutes les Communautés chrétiennes. En 1860, la Communauté Grecque-Melkite en devint propriétaire et transforma la grotte en un sanctuaire digne de la Vierge. Au début des années 60, Monseigneur Basile KHOURY construisit une belle chapelle hexagonale et une tour de 28 mètres de hauteur au sommet de laquelle il éleva une belle statue de "La Vierge et l’enfant", oeuvre de l’artiste italien PIERROTTI. Les baptêmes y sont fréquents car la Vierge de Mantara est considérée comme protectrice des enfants.
Le Sanctuaire de la Vierge à Zahlé
En 1958, Monseigneur Euthym eut l’idée d’élever un sanctuaire marial sur une colline dominant Zahlé et la Békaa. Un accord est signé avec l’artiste italien PIERROTTI, en 1961 pour une statue en bronze, de 9 mètres. La tour atteint 61 mètres de hauteur. Elle est desservie par un ascenseur.
La Vierge de Beshouat
Le Sanctuaire de la Vierge de Beshouat, fort ancien, est un centre de pèlerinage au fond de la Békaa... En 1741, on découvrit dans une petite cave dans les ruines d’un couvent, une icône byzantine en bois, de la Vierge Marie. Alors, une église fut construite au-dessus de la cave, et devint un lieu de pèlerinage.
La Vierge de Qana
Il ne s’agit pas ici d’un sanctuaire, mais de l’endroit où Jésus a accompli son premier miracle en transformant l’eau en vin, premier signe révélateur de Sa divinité et de Son dévouement pour Sa mère, la Vierge Marie, A 10 Km. de Tyr est situé le village de Qana. Depuis 1968, les recherches faites prouvent que Qana est bien le lieu où se déroula le premier miracle de Jésus.
Autres Sanctuaires Mariaux célèbres au Liban (en routes rapides)
"Sainte Marie de Tyr": petite église, donnée dès 1129 aux chanoines réguliers du Saint – Sépulcre.
"Notre-Dame d’Ain-Ebel" (sur les frontières Sud du Liban)
"La Vierge du repos": nom sous lequel l’Eglise grecque commémore la Dormition et l’Assomption de Marie.
"Notre-Dame de Deir-El-Qamar" (Au Chouf). "Notre-Dame de la Délivrance" à Bikfaya (El-Metn).
"Notre-Dame du Champ" (Kesrouan)
"Notre-Dame de la Roche" à Ehmej (Caza de Jbeil).
"Les ruines du temple de Yanouh, – transformé par Sainte Hélène, dit-on – en église de Notre-Dame, garderaient le tombeau de treize patriarches. C’est l’Eglise Notre-Dame de Yanouh" (caza Jbeil).
"Notre-Dame de la Corne" à Aquoura.
"Notre-Dame des Ermites" à mi-chemin de Mejdel et d’Aqoura. Sur les douze églises de Jbeil, une dizaine porte le nom de Marie.
"Notre-Dame d’Ailij (caza Jbeil, Byblos).
"Notre-Dame Saidet-el-Nourié" (caza Batroun).
"Notre-Dame des Colonnes" (Bziza).
"Notre-Dame de Balamend" (Koura)
"Notre-Dame de Zghorta" (Liban-Nord).
"Notre-Dame de la forteresse" (Ehden, Liban-Nord). Et combien d’autres!...
Bref, à chaque village son église mariale. Mais en terre de Byblos, "toujours une chapelle a remplacé les vieux temples".
Merci
LA VIERGE AU LIBAN par Soeur Marie-Roger Zoghbi, S.F.M.
Fille de notre Orient, la Vierge Marie est toujours "au coeur de nos vies". Non seulement ses sanctuaires parsèment nos chemins et de nombreuses églises lui sont dédiées, mais le culte marial demeure dans nos familles où l’on récite le chapelet chaque soir, au mois de mai. Gardienne de nos familles, de nos paroisses et de chaque pouce de notre cher Liban, la Vierge Marie nous porte tous dans son sein. N’est-elle pas "La terre dans laquelle a été semée l’Eglise? comme le dit Saint Ephrem. Pas une église du Liban sans une icône mariale; même dans les églises dédiées à d’autres saints, un autel latéral est réservé à Marie. Ce qui exprime une réalité profonde: La communion des Saints comme réalité inséparable du Christ et de sa Mère.
Nous ne présentons pas, aujourd’hui, un tableau exhaustif des églises dédiées à Marie, au Liban.
Si nous parcourons le Liban, du Nord au Sud, de l’Est à l’Ouest, nous pourrons y visiter Marie tant dans les églises que dans les humbles sanctuaires des routes.
Nous nous limitons aux sanctuaires mariaux les plus connus au Liban.
La Vierge de l’Assomption à Bkerké
Par un décret du quatrième synode communautaire convoqué par le Patriarche Maronite Joseph ESTEPHAN, en 1790, Bkerké est devenu la résidence hivernale du Patriarche: "Le couvent de Bkerké, cite le décret, sera la résidence stable du Siège Patriarcal au lieu du couvent de la Vierge à Qannoubine". Ce n’est qu’en 1830 que ce décret fut appliqué avec le Patriarche Joseph HOBEICHE.
A vingt kilomètres de Beyrouth, la résidence patriarcale s’élève au flanc d’une colline verte de Kesrouan. A votre droite, à l’entrée, l'Eglise de l’Assomption, tableau peint par le célèbre artiste Daoud CORM. En s’élevant vers le ciel, la Vierge semble attirer tous ses enfants qui la regardent, les mains levées en signe d’intercession.
Le Couvent de la Vierge à Dimane
A une altitude de 1350 mètres, à Dimane, le Patriarche Elias Hoyek (1899-1931) a voulu édifier la résidence estivale du patriarche maronite. Cette humble fondation domine l’ancien couvent de Qannoubine de la Vallée Sainte de Qadisha où siégeait le patriarche durant environ quatre siècles de 1440 à 1830. La pierre inaugurale date du 28 septembre 1899 c’est-à-dire, environ huit mois après l’élection de Monseigneur Hoyek. Il confie à son neveu, l’artiste Youssef El-Hoyek, le soin de peindre le tableau de l’Assomption de la Vierge sur l’abside principale de l’église.
Puis vint le Patriarche Antoine ARIDA avec qui fut complétée l’oeuvre monumentale grâce au talent exceptionnel du peintre Saliba DOUAIHI qui orna de beaux tableaux le plafond et les murs de l’église: l’apothéose de la Résurrection du Christ et de son ascension, l’apothéose de l’Assomption de Marie et son couronnement, l’apothéose de la Création de Dieu.
La Vierge de Qannoubine dans la Vallée de Qadisha ou la Vallée Sainte
"Qannoubine": mot d’origine grecque qui signifie "la vie en Communauté"
La Vallée Sainte s’étend sur une longueur de 35 Km. Elle fut le refuge des Maronites qui y vinrent au milieu du VIIe siècle et y vécurent ensemble patriarche, moines, ermites, peuple. Tout, dans cette Vallée, rappelle la lutte courageuse pour sauvegarder la foi.
Avant l’arrivée des Maronites, le Couvent de Qannoubine était, au VIe siècle, un centre de rencontre pour les futurs ermites avant leur départ pour la solitude avec Dieu.
Ce fut Théodore le Grand (370-395) qui fonda ce couvent et le confia à la protection de la Vierge Marie.
Le patriarche Jean JAJI s’y réfugia pour fuir la haine des Mamluks.
Qannoubine demeura durant, environ quatre siècles, Le centre vital de la Communauté Maronite. Les cellules sont creusées dans les roches. On y trouve des icônes du XVe et du XVI siècle ainsi que des documents écrits en langues syriaque et latine. C’est dans cette Vallée que parut la première imprimerie au Liban. En 1610, on y imprima le livre des psaumes en syriaque.
Notre Dame du Liban à Harissa
Située à une altitude de 600 mètres et à une distance de 25 Km. de Beyrouth, la colline de Harissa est le centre focal des Communautés Catholiques au Liban.
En effet, au flanc de la colline, nous voyons le Siège Patriarcal Maronite à Bkerké. Au Sommet, c’est le Couvent des Pères Paulistes Grecs Melkites Catholiques. Un peu plus haut, à quelques centaines de mètres, le Siège de la Nonciature Apostolique au Liban et, à proximité, le Couvent des Pères Franciscains. Plus loin, le Couvent de Charfé, Siège du Patriarcat Syriaque Catholique et, sur la colline de Bzoummar, le Patriarcat Arménien Catholique.
C’est là, à Harissa, que le Patriarche Maronite Elias HOYEK (1899-1931), de pair avec Monseigneur Carlos DUVAL, délégué Apostolique au Liban, décide de Commémorer le cinquantième anniversaire de la définition du dogme de l’Immaculée Conception, proclamé par Pie IX, le 8 décembre 1854, par l’érection d’une statue de la Vierge sur la colline de Harissa. Cette statue trônant sur les hauts lieux est analogue à celle de la Sainte Vierge apparue en 1830 à Catherine Labouré. L’artiste Durenne l’avait présentée en douze pièces dont le poids total atteint les quatorze tonnes. Vers la fin de juillet 1906, elle est transportée à Harissa et déposée sur un socle-piédestal en spirale d’une centaine de marches, plan préparé par l’ingénieur français GIOT. L’oeuvre est achevée en 1908. L’inauguration est présidée par S.B. Mgr Hoyek, le 3 mai 1908, jubilé sacerdotale du Pape Pie X et jubilé des apparitions de la Vierge à Lourdes. Un induit du pape Pie X vient marquer l’événement: "indulgence plénière à ceux qui visitent le sanctuaire Notre-Dame du Liban en remplissant les conditions requises" .
Aujourd’hui, c’est l’immense Basilique Notre-Dame du Liban qui s’élève à Harissa. Elle accueillera, bientôt, le 10 mai au soir, Sa Sainteté le Pape Jean-Paul II qui y rencontrera les douze mille jeunes du Liban assoiffés de le voir et de l’écouter. C’est Jésus, évidemment, qui les réunira. Il sera là pour canaliser les forces vives de notre jeunesse libanaise.
Reine du Liban, souveraine des monts et des mers, la Vierge protège ses enfants partout dans le monde. Ce monument de Harissa demeure à jamais un symbole de foi et d’espérance.
Harissa est un lieu de pèlerinage. Souvent, on y va à pied en prenant comme point de départ: Jounieh. On y rencontre des visiteurs de toutes les confessions: chrétiens et non-chrétiens.
Vers elle, s’élève notre cantique: "Et que tous nos villages, "O Vierge du Liban, "accueillent le message "De Jésus, ton enfant".
"O Reine du Liban, nous vous supplions d’accorder à l’Orient chrétien prosterné à vos pieds, de demeurer uni dans la foi et dans la soumission filiale au Siège de Pierre afin que, dans la foi et la joie, nous vous invoquions: Reine du Liban et de tout l’Orient. Amen".
La Vierge de Mantara – Maghdouché
Le sanctuaire de la Vierge de Mantara s’élève sur une belle colline de Maghdouché, au Sud du Liban. Cet endroit, parait-il, fut choisi, avant Jésus-Christ, comme tour de garde chez les prêtres païens pour veiller à la sécurité de leur déesse Astarté.
La tradition raconte que lorsque Jésus vint à Sidon, la Vierge Marie qui l’accompagnait, s’arrêta pour l’attendre au sommet de la colline, dans une grotte. D'où le nom arabe de cet endroit: "Mantara"... Le roi Constantin le Grand transforma la grotte en sanctuaire pour la Vierge... Le Roi Louis IX y éleva aussi une tour de garde...
Quant à la redécouverte de la grotte, elle eut lieu, accidentellement, par un berger. en 1726. L’icône de la Vierge se trouvait posée près de l’autel. Elle est de style byzantin et remonte au VIIe ou VIIIe siècle. Depuis lors, la grotte est transformée en lieu de pèlerinage pour toutes les Communautés chrétiennes. En 1860, la Communauté Grecque-Melkite en devint propriétaire et transforma la grotte en un sanctuaire digne de la Vierge. Au début des années 60, Monseigneur Basile KHOURY construisit une belle chapelle hexagonale et une tour de 28 mètres de hauteur au sommet de laquelle il éleva une belle statue de "La Vierge et l’enfant", oeuvre de l’artiste italien PIERROTTI. Les baptêmes y sont fréquents car la Vierge de Mantara est considérée comme protectrice des enfants.
Le Sanctuaire de la Vierge à Zahlé
En 1958, Monseigneur Euthym eut l’idée d’élever un sanctuaire marial sur une colline dominant Zahlé et la Békaa. Un accord est signé avec l’artiste italien PIERROTTI, en 1961 pour une statue en bronze, de 9 mètres. La tour atteint 61 mètres de hauteur. Elle est desservie par un ascenseur.
La Vierge de Beshouat
Le Sanctuaire de la Vierge de Beshouat, fort ancien, est un centre de pèlerinage au fond de la Békaa... En 1741, on découvrit dans une petite cave dans les ruines d’un couvent, une icône byzantine en bois, de la Vierge Marie. Alors, une église fut construite au-dessus de la cave, et devint un lieu de pèlerinage.
La Vierge de Qana
Il ne s’agit pas ici d’un sanctuaire, mais de l’endroit où Jésus a accompli son premier miracle en transformant l’eau en vin, premier signe révélateur de Sa divinité et de Son dévouement pour Sa mère, la Vierge Marie, A 10 Km. de Tyr est situé le village de Qana. Depuis 1968, les recherches faites prouvent que Qana est bien le lieu où se déroula le premier miracle de Jésus.
Autres Sanctuaires Mariaux célèbres au Liban (en routes rapides)
"Sainte Marie de Tyr": petite église, donnée dès 1129 aux chanoines réguliers du Saint – Sépulcre.
"Notre-Dame d’Ain-Ebel" (sur les frontières Sud du Liban)
"La Vierge du repos": nom sous lequel l’Eglise grecque commémore la Dormition et l’Assomption de Marie.
"Notre-Dame de Deir-El-Qamar" (Au Chouf). "Notre-Dame de la Délivrance" à Bikfaya (El-Metn).
"Notre-Dame du Champ" (Kesrouan)
"Notre-Dame de la Roche" à Ehmej (Caza de Jbeil).
"Les ruines du temple de Yanouh, – transformé par Sainte Hélène, dit-on – en église de Notre-Dame, garderaient le tombeau de treize patriarches. C’est l’Eglise Notre-Dame de Yanouh" (caza Jbeil).
"Notre-Dame de la Corne" à Aquoura.
"Notre-Dame des Ermites" à mi-chemin de Mejdel et d’Aqoura. Sur les douze églises de Jbeil, une dizaine porte le nom de Marie.
"Notre-Dame d’Ailij (caza Jbeil, Byblos).
"Notre-Dame Saidet-el-Nourié" (caza Batroun).
"Notre-Dame des Colonnes" (Bziza).
"Notre-Dame de Balamend" (Koura)
"Notre-Dame de Zghorta" (Liban-Nord).
"Notre-Dame de la forteresse" (Ehden, Liban-Nord). Et combien d’autres!...
Bref, à chaque village son église mariale. Mais en terre de Byblos, "toujours une chapelle a remplacé les vieux temples".
Did Christ Visit Maghdouche's al-Mantara Cave Chapel?
The information and the pictures here downloaded from Børre Ludvigsen web site at www.almashriq.com
Mr. Ludvigsen, Thank you.
Helena-Empress-Mother of the Romans, leaned forward with quickening interest as her son's humble Sidonian subject, looking straight into her eyes, told his guileless tale of Jesus' visit to Sidon.
"And when Our Lord had finished teaching the multitude in Sidon. He ascended the mountain to rejoin His Mother, who was waiting"
"Go on," said the Empress, gently.
"And after resting there for the night, the Holy Personages returned on the morrow to Galilee. Thus spoke our fathers and our fathers' fathers, admonishing us always to hold sacred that spot."
"Thank you, my son. You have come a long way to bring us this news which we sought. Await us without, and we shall give our answer to your elders."
The Phoenician peasant kissed his Empress' extended hand and withdrew in awe.
"It is preposterous, Your Majesty", cried the Keeper of the Privy Purse. "If you continue to listen to everyone who comes to you from the Holy Land and to endow every spot for which they advance any kind of fantastic claim, the treasury will soon be bankrupt. All students of the holy writings know that Our Lord's mission was in Galilee and Judea, not in Pheonicia."
"Patience, patience. It was I who sent for this man, on hearing from the superintendent in charge of building the nearby, signal fire tower that the simple Christian folk of Maghdoushe village so venerated this spot. Do you see any guile in this man? When the village elders heard why I had sent for him, they asked that I join them in convincing their Bishop that a little chapel should be consecrated at this holiest place in Phoenicia. That is why I have summoned our Lord Bishop of Tyre." She motioned to a chamberlain who conducted the Tyrian prelate to the council chamber.
Scriptural Proof
"What is your opinion of this matter, good Father" asked the Empress, after explaining the villagers' tradition to him.
"It is possible, Your Majesty, that the references which St. Mark makes in III, 8 and VII, 24-31, could be interpreted to mean that Our Lord's mission in Upper Galilee also extended to the southern cities of Phoenicia, within our own see of Tyre and Sidon. Thus far, no miracle has ever been reported at this spot, and we have no records, other than verbal tradition, to indicate its holiness, only.. "
"Only what, good Father ?"
"Your Majesty, these are good and honest folk. They have no doubt been Christians since the time ol Our Lord, or certainly since St. Paul's ministry among them. They keep faith with God and with man. There is no reason why they should try to deceive us in this matter, and our Holy Mother the Church teaches us that sacred tradition can have the weight of scripture in certain cases. They ask for nothing but that I consecrate the spot for holy worship, to keep faith with their fathers' pious tradition. They ask for no church, only for the blessing of the cave as a little chapel in honor of the visit of the Holy Family. Till now I have hesitated, doubting my capacity to so judge tradition, and for want of records or of a miraculous happening, but... "
"But if we endow a little chapel there, and provide it with a suitable ikon, what harm is done ? If miracles be needed, God will provide them in His good time ".
"Then Your Majesty will sponsor this undertaking ? "
"It is our wish. Let us summon the villager and give him our answer ".
Empress Orders Shrine
When the Sidonian stood before her, the Empress spoke to him softly. "Our good Bishop has consented to consecrate the holy place, and we shall send you an ikon and some altar furnish- ings for the new chapel, in token of our esteem. What ao your people call the spot today ?"
"We call it the "Place of the Awaiting", Great Lady, for it was there that Our Blessed Mother waited her Son ",answered the peasant.
" Good. Do you, Lord Bishop, consecrate it to " Our Lady of the Awaiting", and we shall provide for it a likeness of the blessed Mother, and other suitable objects, and the wherewithal to provide lamps and oil, and other necessities, that our own faith be not less than that of our good villagers of the".
And so it was.
At a date which could not be far from the year 326, the Empress Helena forwarded to the religious authorities of the province of Phoenicia Prima, an ikon of the Virgin and Child, which, like so many other holy pictures known to have been the gifts of Byzantine royalty, eventually came to be regarded as miraculous, and was said to have been painted by the hand of St. Luke himself. Funds were provided from the imperial purse for the upkeep of the chapel during the remaining three centuries of Byzantine rule in Phoenicia. The little shrine was known and visited by the Phoenician Christians, but being overshadowed by the proximity of the major Holy Places in Palestine, does not seem to have attracted foreign pilgrims or undue fame.
Heraclius' Farewell
In 636, Phcenicia's last Byzantine sovereign, Emperor Heraclius, recoverer of the True Cross from the Persians, was decisively beaten at the Battle of the Yarmuk by Arab Generalissimo Khalid ibn al-Walid. "Farewell, O Syria, and what an excellent land thou art for the enemy !" exclaimed the Basilios, on being forced to abandon the eastern provinces of his empire to the Caliph. The latter, Omar, a pious and humble man, spared Christendom's holiest shrines, in Jerusalem and elsewhere, and showed an inclination toward tolerance in dealing with his new Christian subjects. Alas, it was not so with Phoenicia, Prima. Less tolerant administrators laid heavy hands on the Christian maritime cities of Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, Byblos, Tripoli, Latakia and even holy Antioch, where the very name "Christian" had first been used.
A hard decision now lay before the elders of Maghdoushe.
"It is not that we object to being the Arab caliph's subjects", they reasoned, "for our fathers had begun to speak Arabic and to adopt Arab customs long before ibn al-Walid's Moslem armies swept over our land. But our faith will be cha]lenged if we remain here in the foothills of Sidon. Already most of the Sidonians have become Moslems, to enjoy privileges and immunities. They will tempt our sons and daughters".
Exodus to Zahle
The younger men argued that the hills and valleys of Sidon were rich and fruitful. To withdraw into the inhospitable fastnesses of Mount Lebanon, to abandon their sacred shrine, where the Holy Family had honored their village alone of all Phoenicia would be cowardice. The chapel itself would be their talisman and safeguard. "Nay. These are evil days. There will come fanatics who will seek out our holiest shrines to destroy them. The good Omar spared Jerusalem, but those who followed him grow more bold and arrogant daily, and only God knows what may some day happen to the Holy Sepulchre itself. It is best that we conceal the place of Our Lady in Maghdoushe and go to the land of Christians, in the interior, keeping the secret and our faith in our hearts until we return here in better days". According to the patriarchal custom of the Arabs and of Mount Lebanon, the will of the elders prevailed. Carefully they concealed the entrance to the ancient grotto with stones, earth and vines. Little by little they sent their herds and most prescious possessions back through obscure mountain paths to the strongholds of Christian Lebanon. When the decided-upon day arrived, the entire populace fled en-masse to the towns of Zahle and Zouk, from whose secure heights strong Christian bands were successfully maintaining themselves. Eventually the caliphal governors, wearying, of incessant and fruitless punitive expeditions. advised the imperial court in Damascus that the best way to control these stubborn "People of the Book" would be to recognize them as autonomous communities, paying a fixed tax, under their own religious leaders. It was thus that the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and of all the Orient became a virtual Prince-Bishop of Mount Lebanon. The Greek Catholic followers of the Byzantine rite, to which the Maghdoushe villagers adhered, were placed beneath the rule of their owm metropolitans and of the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch. As long as they stayed in their new mountain retreats they were unmolested, but return to Maghdoushe they dared not. The legend of Sayidet al-Mantara ‹ as Our Lady of the Awaiting is called in Arabic ‹ continued to be passed down among the exiled Maghdoushians for the next thousand years. It grew dim, but it persisted. The community could have returned in Crusader times, some half-thousand years later, save for a new factor. The Crusaders, it so happened, were all of the Latin rite, and although the Maronites and many of the Greek Catholics were also in communion with Rome, they clung to their Oriental usage and to their Syriac and Greek liturgies, refusing to subordinate themselves to the Latin customs of the Franks, which the latter tried to impose throughout their dominions. For their part, the Crusaders of Sidon, or La Sagette, as they called it, spent most of the 12th and 13th Centuries in the shadow of al-Mantara without ever suspecting the grotto chapel's existence. In fact, they built a small castle, called La Franche Garde, on top of the ruins of Empress Helena's tower, within a stone's throw of the hidden entrance to the cave, without ever finding it.
Return Under Fakhreddin
Rediscovery of al-Mantara had to await the reign of Lebanon's greatest ruler of all times, the Druze prince, Fakhreddin II "the Great" (1572-1635), in the early 17th Century. The diminutive mountaineer, paramount prince of the followers of a secret Oriental religion which believes in strict unitarianism and in the transmigration of souls, was perhaps the most tolerant and enlightened Arab ruler of his day and age. With a Christian (Maronite) Prime Minister, a Moslem Minister of the Interior, a Druze army commander and a Jewish Finance Minister, it was not surprising that his non-sectarian state, where all religions flourished under the princely patronage, soon became the most contented and prosperous principality in the Ottoman empire. Openly making treaties with Tuscany, other Italian states, Spain and France, opening his ports to foreign trade, welcoming Jesuit missionaries to open educational missions in Mount Lebanon, Fakhreddin the Great created, for the first time in a thousand years, the conditions of freedom and security which alone could induce Maghdoushe's sons to return to their ancestral home. Again the elders announced their decision. Again the young men drove the flocks and herds over mountain trails back to the pleasant rolling hilltops above Sidon. But they could not locate Sayidet al-Mantara, now only a dim, half-forgotten tradition, even though for years they worked almost daily within a few yards of the hidden grotto, as they pulled down La Franche Garde, stone by stone, for building material for their new homes.
Rediscovered by Lad
One day, as a village lad was tending his goats in a bramble thicket near the ruined castle, one of the kids fell down a chimney-like opening in the porous limestone rocks typical of Mount Lebanon. He could hear the little goat bleating, still alive, in some recess, far below. Good goatherd that he was, the boy made a rope of vines, tied it to a small tree, and descended, somewhat fearfully, into the black depths. Just before he reached the spot where the goat was, his rope broker and he tumbled onto a flat rock floor, but the little goat scrambled happily into his arms. When his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, the lad was startled to see before him what appeared to be a rock-cut altar, from whose niche came the faint glow of a golden object Approaching it, the boy saw that it was a holy ikon. Without touching it, he piled some nearby stones on the floor beneath the hole through which he had fallen, and worked his way back up the fissure, the little kid securely tied into his clothing. Running to the village, he told the people of his discovery. The next day a man was let down into the cave with a torch. He found tha walled-up entranceway and led a party to open it. The elders solemnly assured the younger generation that this was indeed the holy spot of their ancestors, whose memory had been one of the community's strong,est bonds of solidarity while they were in exile. "The ikon is ours, given to us by Saint Helena. Let us enshrine it in our new church", they said, sending a courier to the Bishop of Sidon to advise the prelate of the momentous discovery. The holy picture was carried with reverence to the towering new church of Crusader masonry in the center of the town and placed on the sanctuary screen. But when the Bishop arrived, a day later, the ikon was missing from the church. Nevertheless, His Excellency went to see the holy cave. There, on the rock-cut altar, was the ikon ! "Strange," said the Bishop, "but take it back to the church." That night they put a guard around the church, but in the morning the ikon was back in the cave.
The Reluctant Ikon
"Enough", observed His Excellency, "it is clear that Our Lady does not wish the holy ikon to leave the grotto. According to tradition, the cave has already been dedicated as a place of worship, and this is substantiated by the altar-stone. Therefore, we hereby rededicate it as the Church of Sayidet al-Mantara and we order that the ikon remain perpetually on its altar." And thus it remains today. A few pointed masonry arches were later built as a simple porch for the church, whose main room is the chapel, with the contiguous grotto chambers used for storage. The adjacent hilltop has now been converted into Sidon's Greek Catholic cemetery, where Catholic Sidonians, and others of their rite throughout Lebanon, may be buried near the spot where they believe that Jesus and Mary once stood, looking down upon Phoenicia's Queen of Clities, in the early days of the Roman empire. The ikon itself, which has never left the sanctuary since the 17th Century, is faded and worn, with metallic haloes of gold and with silver hands affixed to the wood over their painted sors. A leg of the Child, also of silver, has been misplaced too far to the left, and the entire picture is now encased in glass and almost impossible to photograph satisfactorily. Under the circumstances, the painting has never been studied thoroughly by competent experts, but those who have examined it superficially agree that it seems to be of the early Byzantine type, if not older. The metallic additions are modern, not antedating the 17th Century. Crusader Ruins Buried On the point of the hill, where the shell of a World War II guard post obscures the site of the castle's ruins, visitors now go to get a sweeping panorama view of Sidon. During the late Ottoman period, workmen discovered the door to an underground vault of the castle, but the village priest, on instructions from his bishop, ordered it sealed and reburied for fear that a Turkish expedition might come looking for treasure, with dire results for both Sayidet al-Mantara and the villagers of Maghdoushe. Renan, in 1860, found one course of masonry still above the ground, but today ever, that has disappeared. There are traces, however, of the rock-cut stairway, 100 yards long and three to four in with that ran up the hill from the west to an esplanade in front of (south of) the castle, although the modern highway now cuts through a large section of this grand staircase. To reach al-Mantara one may take a "service" taxi near the south end of Sidon's main street (for 50 piasters, to Maghdoushe) asking to be let out at Sayidet al-Mantara, or, if driving, follow the coast highway about 4 kilometers south (across the river Saitaniq), turning left, (inland) on the branch paved road for an additional three kilometers or so.
From See Lebanon, Bruce Condè, second edition, Harb Bijjani Press, Beirut, 1960
Mr. Ludvigsen, Thank you.
Helena-Empress-Mother of the Romans, leaned forward with quickening interest as her son's humble Sidonian subject, looking straight into her eyes, told his guileless tale of Jesus' visit to Sidon.
"And when Our Lord had finished teaching the multitude in Sidon. He ascended the mountain to rejoin His Mother, who was waiting"
"Go on," said the Empress, gently.
"And after resting there for the night, the Holy Personages returned on the morrow to Galilee. Thus spoke our fathers and our fathers' fathers, admonishing us always to hold sacred that spot."
"Thank you, my son. You have come a long way to bring us this news which we sought. Await us without, and we shall give our answer to your elders."
The Phoenician peasant kissed his Empress' extended hand and withdrew in awe.
"It is preposterous, Your Majesty", cried the Keeper of the Privy Purse. "If you continue to listen to everyone who comes to you from the Holy Land and to endow every spot for which they advance any kind of fantastic claim, the treasury will soon be bankrupt. All students of the holy writings know that Our Lord's mission was in Galilee and Judea, not in Pheonicia."
"Patience, patience. It was I who sent for this man, on hearing from the superintendent in charge of building the nearby, signal fire tower that the simple Christian folk of Maghdoushe village so venerated this spot. Do you see any guile in this man? When the village elders heard why I had sent for him, they asked that I join them in convincing their Bishop that a little chapel should be consecrated at this holiest place in Phoenicia. That is why I have summoned our Lord Bishop of Tyre." She motioned to a chamberlain who conducted the Tyrian prelate to the council chamber.
Scriptural Proof
"What is your opinion of this matter, good Father" asked the Empress, after explaining the villagers' tradition to him.
"It is possible, Your Majesty, that the references which St. Mark makes in III, 8 and VII, 24-31, could be interpreted to mean that Our Lord's mission in Upper Galilee also extended to the southern cities of Phoenicia, within our own see of Tyre and Sidon. Thus far, no miracle has ever been reported at this spot, and we have no records, other than verbal tradition, to indicate its holiness, only.. "
"Only what, good Father ?"
"Your Majesty, these are good and honest folk. They have no doubt been Christians since the time ol Our Lord, or certainly since St. Paul's ministry among them. They keep faith with God and with man. There is no reason why they should try to deceive us in this matter, and our Holy Mother the Church teaches us that sacred tradition can have the weight of scripture in certain cases. They ask for nothing but that I consecrate the spot for holy worship, to keep faith with their fathers' pious tradition. They ask for no church, only for the blessing of the cave as a little chapel in honor of the visit of the Holy Family. Till now I have hesitated, doubting my capacity to so judge tradition, and for want of records or of a miraculous happening, but... "
"But if we endow a little chapel there, and provide it with a suitable ikon, what harm is done ? If miracles be needed, God will provide them in His good time ".
"Then Your Majesty will sponsor this undertaking ? "
"It is our wish. Let us summon the villager and give him our answer ".
Empress Orders Shrine
When the Sidonian stood before her, the Empress spoke to him softly. "Our good Bishop has consented to consecrate the holy place, and we shall send you an ikon and some altar furnish- ings for the new chapel, in token of our esteem. What ao your people call the spot today ?"
"We call it the "Place of the Awaiting", Great Lady, for it was there that Our Blessed Mother waited her Son ",answered the peasant.
" Good. Do you, Lord Bishop, consecrate it to " Our Lady of the Awaiting", and we shall provide for it a likeness of the blessed Mother, and other suitable objects, and the wherewithal to provide lamps and oil, and other necessities, that our own faith be not less than that of our good villagers of the".
And so it was.
At a date which could not be far from the year 326, the Empress Helena forwarded to the religious authorities of the province of Phoenicia Prima, an ikon of the Virgin and Child, which, like so many other holy pictures known to have been the gifts of Byzantine royalty, eventually came to be regarded as miraculous, and was said to have been painted by the hand of St. Luke himself. Funds were provided from the imperial purse for the upkeep of the chapel during the remaining three centuries of Byzantine rule in Phoenicia. The little shrine was known and visited by the Phoenician Christians, but being overshadowed by the proximity of the major Holy Places in Palestine, does not seem to have attracted foreign pilgrims or undue fame.
Heraclius' Farewell
In 636, Phcenicia's last Byzantine sovereign, Emperor Heraclius, recoverer of the True Cross from the Persians, was decisively beaten at the Battle of the Yarmuk by Arab Generalissimo Khalid ibn al-Walid. "Farewell, O Syria, and what an excellent land thou art for the enemy !" exclaimed the Basilios, on being forced to abandon the eastern provinces of his empire to the Caliph. The latter, Omar, a pious and humble man, spared Christendom's holiest shrines, in Jerusalem and elsewhere, and showed an inclination toward tolerance in dealing with his new Christian subjects. Alas, it was not so with Phoenicia, Prima. Less tolerant administrators laid heavy hands on the Christian maritime cities of Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, Byblos, Tripoli, Latakia and even holy Antioch, where the very name "Christian" had first been used.
A hard decision now lay before the elders of Maghdoushe.
"It is not that we object to being the Arab caliph's subjects", they reasoned, "for our fathers had begun to speak Arabic and to adopt Arab customs long before ibn al-Walid's Moslem armies swept over our land. But our faith will be cha]lenged if we remain here in the foothills of Sidon. Already most of the Sidonians have become Moslems, to enjoy privileges and immunities. They will tempt our sons and daughters".
Exodus to Zahle
The younger men argued that the hills and valleys of Sidon were rich and fruitful. To withdraw into the inhospitable fastnesses of Mount Lebanon, to abandon their sacred shrine, where the Holy Family had honored their village alone of all Phoenicia would be cowardice. The chapel itself would be their talisman and safeguard. "Nay. These are evil days. There will come fanatics who will seek out our holiest shrines to destroy them. The good Omar spared Jerusalem, but those who followed him grow more bold and arrogant daily, and only God knows what may some day happen to the Holy Sepulchre itself. It is best that we conceal the place of Our Lady in Maghdoushe and go to the land of Christians, in the interior, keeping the secret and our faith in our hearts until we return here in better days". According to the patriarchal custom of the Arabs and of Mount Lebanon, the will of the elders prevailed. Carefully they concealed the entrance to the ancient grotto with stones, earth and vines. Little by little they sent their herds and most prescious possessions back through obscure mountain paths to the strongholds of Christian Lebanon. When the decided-upon day arrived, the entire populace fled en-masse to the towns of Zahle and Zouk, from whose secure heights strong Christian bands were successfully maintaining themselves. Eventually the caliphal governors, wearying, of incessant and fruitless punitive expeditions. advised the imperial court in Damascus that the best way to control these stubborn "People of the Book" would be to recognize them as autonomous communities, paying a fixed tax, under their own religious leaders. It was thus that the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and of all the Orient became a virtual Prince-Bishop of Mount Lebanon. The Greek Catholic followers of the Byzantine rite, to which the Maghdoushe villagers adhered, were placed beneath the rule of their owm metropolitans and of the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch. As long as they stayed in their new mountain retreats they were unmolested, but return to Maghdoushe they dared not. The legend of Sayidet al-Mantara ‹ as Our Lady of the Awaiting is called in Arabic ‹ continued to be passed down among the exiled Maghdoushians for the next thousand years. It grew dim, but it persisted. The community could have returned in Crusader times, some half-thousand years later, save for a new factor. The Crusaders, it so happened, were all of the Latin rite, and although the Maronites and many of the Greek Catholics were also in communion with Rome, they clung to their Oriental usage and to their Syriac and Greek liturgies, refusing to subordinate themselves to the Latin customs of the Franks, which the latter tried to impose throughout their dominions. For their part, the Crusaders of Sidon, or La Sagette, as they called it, spent most of the 12th and 13th Centuries in the shadow of al-Mantara without ever suspecting the grotto chapel's existence. In fact, they built a small castle, called La Franche Garde, on top of the ruins of Empress Helena's tower, within a stone's throw of the hidden entrance to the cave, without ever finding it.
Return Under Fakhreddin
Rediscovery of al-Mantara had to await the reign of Lebanon's greatest ruler of all times, the Druze prince, Fakhreddin II "the Great" (1572-1635), in the early 17th Century. The diminutive mountaineer, paramount prince of the followers of a secret Oriental religion which believes in strict unitarianism and in the transmigration of souls, was perhaps the most tolerant and enlightened Arab ruler of his day and age. With a Christian (Maronite) Prime Minister, a Moslem Minister of the Interior, a Druze army commander and a Jewish Finance Minister, it was not surprising that his non-sectarian state, where all religions flourished under the princely patronage, soon became the most contented and prosperous principality in the Ottoman empire. Openly making treaties with Tuscany, other Italian states, Spain and France, opening his ports to foreign trade, welcoming Jesuit missionaries to open educational missions in Mount Lebanon, Fakhreddin the Great created, for the first time in a thousand years, the conditions of freedom and security which alone could induce Maghdoushe's sons to return to their ancestral home. Again the elders announced their decision. Again the young men drove the flocks and herds over mountain trails back to the pleasant rolling hilltops above Sidon. But they could not locate Sayidet al-Mantara, now only a dim, half-forgotten tradition, even though for years they worked almost daily within a few yards of the hidden grotto, as they pulled down La Franche Garde, stone by stone, for building material for their new homes.
Rediscovered by Lad
One day, as a village lad was tending his goats in a bramble thicket near the ruined castle, one of the kids fell down a chimney-like opening in the porous limestone rocks typical of Mount Lebanon. He could hear the little goat bleating, still alive, in some recess, far below. Good goatherd that he was, the boy made a rope of vines, tied it to a small tree, and descended, somewhat fearfully, into the black depths. Just before he reached the spot where the goat was, his rope broker and he tumbled onto a flat rock floor, but the little goat scrambled happily into his arms. When his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, the lad was startled to see before him what appeared to be a rock-cut altar, from whose niche came the faint glow of a golden object Approaching it, the boy saw that it was a holy ikon. Without touching it, he piled some nearby stones on the floor beneath the hole through which he had fallen, and worked his way back up the fissure, the little kid securely tied into his clothing. Running to the village, he told the people of his discovery. The next day a man was let down into the cave with a torch. He found tha walled-up entranceway and led a party to open it. The elders solemnly assured the younger generation that this was indeed the holy spot of their ancestors, whose memory had been one of the community's strong,est bonds of solidarity while they were in exile. "The ikon is ours, given to us by Saint Helena. Let us enshrine it in our new church", they said, sending a courier to the Bishop of Sidon to advise the prelate of the momentous discovery. The holy picture was carried with reverence to the towering new church of Crusader masonry in the center of the town and placed on the sanctuary screen. But when the Bishop arrived, a day later, the ikon was missing from the church. Nevertheless, His Excellency went to see the holy cave. There, on the rock-cut altar, was the ikon ! "Strange," said the Bishop, "but take it back to the church." That night they put a guard around the church, but in the morning the ikon was back in the cave.
The Reluctant Ikon
"Enough", observed His Excellency, "it is clear that Our Lady does not wish the holy ikon to leave the grotto. According to tradition, the cave has already been dedicated as a place of worship, and this is substantiated by the altar-stone. Therefore, we hereby rededicate it as the Church of Sayidet al-Mantara and we order that the ikon remain perpetually on its altar." And thus it remains today. A few pointed masonry arches were later built as a simple porch for the church, whose main room is the chapel, with the contiguous grotto chambers used for storage. The adjacent hilltop has now been converted into Sidon's Greek Catholic cemetery, where Catholic Sidonians, and others of their rite throughout Lebanon, may be buried near the spot where they believe that Jesus and Mary once stood, looking down upon Phoenicia's Queen of Clities, in the early days of the Roman empire. The ikon itself, which has never left the sanctuary since the 17th Century, is faded and worn, with metallic haloes of gold and with silver hands affixed to the wood over their painted sors. A leg of the Child, also of silver, has been misplaced too far to the left, and the entire picture is now encased in glass and almost impossible to photograph satisfactorily. Under the circumstances, the painting has never been studied thoroughly by competent experts, but those who have examined it superficially agree that it seems to be of the early Byzantine type, if not older. The metallic additions are modern, not antedating the 17th Century. Crusader Ruins Buried On the point of the hill, where the shell of a World War II guard post obscures the site of the castle's ruins, visitors now go to get a sweeping panorama view of Sidon. During the late Ottoman period, workmen discovered the door to an underground vault of the castle, but the village priest, on instructions from his bishop, ordered it sealed and reburied for fear that a Turkish expedition might come looking for treasure, with dire results for both Sayidet al-Mantara and the villagers of Maghdoushe. Renan, in 1860, found one course of masonry still above the ground, but today ever, that has disappeared. There are traces, however, of the rock-cut stairway, 100 yards long and three to four in with that ran up the hill from the west to an esplanade in front of (south of) the castle, although the modern highway now cuts through a large section of this grand staircase. To reach al-Mantara one may take a "service" taxi near the south end of Sidon's main street (for 50 piasters, to Maghdoushe) asking to be let out at Sayidet al-Mantara, or, if driving, follow the coast highway about 4 kilometers south (across the river Saitaniq), turning left, (inland) on the branch paved road for an additional three kilometers or so.
From See Lebanon, Bruce Condè, second edition, Harb Bijjani Press, Beirut, 1960
Adib Ammoun, Malvina Saliba
Uncle Adib was the eldest son of grandfather Nicolas. He left the village when he was young and worked in Beirut. He opened his own laundry , then he owned a hotel in The hotels famous area in Beirut. The hotel name was Claridge. He married tant Malvina, who born in a very beautiful village near Harisa called Batt-ha in Keserwan north of Beirut. During the Lebanese war, the family loosed the hotel and moved back to the village. It was during the war when the Adib's family started to face many tragedies. First their son Jean murdered on 1975, then in 1986 Uncle Adib also lost his life. It was at that time the most of the family moved to France to find another future.
Their children:
Rosette Ammoun, Jean Claude Elie
She raised a big family and in the same time went to work. Married to her dream prince Jean Claude 198?. They have 5 children: Elie, Sandra, David, Jessica, Jean Patist.
Address:
Tel:
331 34 68 70 13
Aïda Ammoun
Born in Beirut. Work at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. She moved with Tant Malvina to a new apartment summer 1999.
Jihad Ammoun, Corinee Bourdelas
Since his childhood, he was an expert in Electricity, so it's normal to became a manager in a big electricity affairs company. Born in Beirut 195? and married to Doctor Corinee. They have 4 children: Malvina, Nicolas, Carina and lately Clara
click here to see their pictures
Address:
168 Allée du chêne au loup
60520 La chapelle en serval
France
Tel:
34 45 42 223
Basem Ammoun, Rita Kattan
Born in Beirut 1960, married to Rita 198? and they have 3 children: Rachel, Michael, Alexandre and expecting a child in spring 2000, click here to see their pictures When they mention him, they use to mention that he is 6 days younger than sami.
Address:
36 Rue Roger Tort
95380 Louvre
France
Tel:
331 34 72 59 61
Jean Ammoun (1962-1976)
He died during the Lebanese war 1976. We remember him always, specially when he sang for Wadih El Safi and Fayruz. His favorites was "ejet wardeh" and "ya bou Meri'e", very famous songs at that time. The war caused many tragedies to Adib's family: First Jean and then Uncle Adib. We never forget.
Silvia Ammoun, George El Nashef
Born in Beirut and lives in Maghdoushe. She's married to a Lebanese Policeman and they have 3 children.
Address: Maghdouche
Their children:
Rosette Ammoun, Jean Claude Elie
She raised a big family and in the same time went to work. Married to her dream prince Jean Claude 198?. They have 5 children: Elie, Sandra, David, Jessica, Jean Patist.
Address:
Tel:
331 34 68 70 13
Aïda Ammoun
Born in Beirut. Work at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. She moved with Tant Malvina to a new apartment summer 1999.
Jihad Ammoun, Corinee Bourdelas
Since his childhood, he was an expert in Electricity, so it's normal to became a manager in a big electricity affairs company. Born in Beirut 195? and married to Doctor Corinee. They have 4 children: Malvina, Nicolas, Carina and lately Clara
click here to see their pictures
Address:
168 Allée du chêne au loup
60520 La chapelle en serval
France
Tel:
34 45 42 223
Basem Ammoun, Rita Kattan
Born in Beirut 1960, married to Rita 198? and they have 3 children: Rachel, Michael, Alexandre and expecting a child in spring 2000, click here to see their pictures When they mention him, they use to mention that he is 6 days younger than sami.
Address:
36 Rue Roger Tort
95380 Louvre
France
Tel:
331 34 72 59 61
Jean Ammoun (1962-1976)
He died during the Lebanese war 1976. We remember him always, specially when he sang for Wadih El Safi and Fayruz. His favorites was "ejet wardeh" and "ya bou Meri'e", very famous songs at that time. The war caused many tragedies to Adib's family: First Jean and then Uncle Adib. We never forget.
Silvia Ammoun, George El Nashef
Born in Beirut and lives in Maghdoushe. She's married to a Lebanese Policeman and they have 3 children.
Address: Maghdouche
Joseph Ammoun, Leila Tawk
Uncle Joseph, the second of the uncles, born in Maghdoushe 1930, married to Leila Tawk from Bsherre. Joseph retired now after he had a restaurant in Beirut. His Hobby is to catch special birds called "hassoun". Leila raised 6 children and today she is proud to be the grandmother for 5 children. Here in the picture holding Lina's child Rodolph at his baptism.
Address:
Mar Antonios street
Afif Mer'ie Bldg. 1st floor
Ain Jdeideh, Jdeidet El Metin
Lebanon
His Children:
Sami Ammoun, Rita Sarouh
Born 1960 in Beirut, married to Rita Sarouh from Sin El Fil. No children. They live in Sweden.
Address:
Nansensg. 8 b
417 19 Gbg
Sweden
Tel:
31 51 49 47
Lina Ammoun, George Abou Jawdeh
Born 1962 in Beirut, married to Goerge Abu Jawdeh from Ras El Metin, lived in El Hadath. She works as Accounting and Computer department manager in Sin El fil. They have 2 children Rodolph and Grace.
Address:
Naccash
Metin Elshemali
Lebanon
Tel: 03 255414 mobile/ 04 410662 residence/03 255414 Goerge
e-mail:lina
Marwan Ammoun, Alisar Kanaan
Born 3 November 1964, married to Alisar Kanaan 24 February 1990. he works as a computer support manager. They live in Ottawa-Canada, and they have 3 children, Samanta, Charbel and Sara.
Address:
1275 Kingston Av.
OTT. ONT.
K1Z8K8
Canada
Tel: 613 728 11 30
Ihab Ammoun, Alisar
Born 1966, engaged to Alisar ? from ? . He works in Lift installation and service in Jbeil.
Address:
Mar Antonios street
Afif Mer'ie Bldg. 1st floor
Ain Jdeideh, Jdeidet El Metin
Tel: (00961) 3 34 93 82
Fadi Ammoun, Christiane Mousi
Born 1969 in Beirut. A Manager of trading division in Kingdom of Bahrain. Married to Christiane Mousi on 31 Jan 1999, a hair dresser (coiffuse). he has one daughter ,her name is Rachelle born on 14/04/2000.
Address:
Isa Town ,Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: (00973) 17 686153
Mobile: (00973) 39165846
Address:
Mar Antonios street
Afif Mer'ie Bldg. 1st floor
Ain Jdeideh, Jdeidet El Metin
Lebanon
His Children:
Sami Ammoun, Rita Sarouh
Born 1960 in Beirut, married to Rita Sarouh from Sin El Fil. No children. They live in Sweden.
Address:
Nansensg. 8 b
417 19 Gbg
Sweden
Tel:
31 51 49 47
Lina Ammoun, George Abou Jawdeh
Born 1962 in Beirut, married to Goerge Abu Jawdeh from Ras El Metin, lived in El Hadath. She works as Accounting and Computer department manager in Sin El fil. They have 2 children Rodolph and Grace.
Address:
Naccash
Metin Elshemali
Lebanon
Tel: 03 255414 mobile/ 04 410662 residence/03 255414 Goerge
e-mail:lina
Marwan Ammoun, Alisar Kanaan
Born 3 November 1964, married to Alisar Kanaan 24 February 1990. he works as a computer support manager. They live in Ottawa-Canada, and they have 3 children, Samanta, Charbel and Sara.
Address:
1275 Kingston Av.
OTT. ONT.
K1Z8K8
Canada
Tel: 613 728 11 30
Ihab Ammoun, Alisar
Born 1966, engaged to Alisar ? from ? . He works in Lift installation and service in Jbeil.
Address:
Mar Antonios street
Afif Mer'ie Bldg. 1st floor
Ain Jdeideh, Jdeidet El Metin
Tel: (00961) 3 34 93 82
Fadi Ammoun, Christiane Mousi
Born 1969 in Beirut. A Manager of trading division in Kingdom of Bahrain. Married to Christiane Mousi on 31 Jan 1999, a hair dresser (coiffuse). he has one daughter ,her name is Rachelle born on 14/04/2000.
Address:
Isa Town ,Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: (00973) 17 686153
Mobile: (00973) 39165846
Nasir and Adel Ammoun
Uncle Nasir is the third, born in maghdoushe. he worked before in municipality of beirut as the guards chef. retired in the eighties.
Tant adel, his wife, died in mid of the eighties from cancer, during the war. Their children didnt immigrate from lebanon like their cousins.
Their children
Hani Ammoun
the teacher
born 1961. the ever singel man. he works as a sport teacher in 4 schools. he has an apartment in beirut and another one in zouk. lately he bought a piece of land in arnaba near maghdoushe.
Hani is a master in chess. he got the silver medel in jordan during the arabs chess champoinship 1999 in amman. in februari 2000, he will represents lebanon in asia chess chapionships 2000. a gold medel is his aim.
address:
sed el bushereye
tel: 01 89 76 77
03 27 76 90
Haytham & Nada
the construction man
born in maghdoushe 196?, married to nada ?. they have 2 children, rita and elie-daniel.
He works as a construction forman and resides with his gfamily in maghdoushe
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
Hisham and Samira
the lift man
born also in the village, and married to samira lately. samira's parents are from a village called bna'foul, and her mother from another village named taaboura. both villages lay south of maghdoushe and are related to maghdoushe because many families there, even most of them are relatives or directly came from maghdoushe itself.
Hisham and his bride divide their time between maghdoushe and taaboura, because samira's family left bna'foul during the war.and lays south of maghdoushe.
He works in jounieh.
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
Ghassan
the lawyer man
Gassan today is a law adjacent in the lebanese army. that came after he got his degree in law from the lebanese university. his job is in the ministry of defense as an assistant in the juridical section.
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
Usama & Lola
the bodybuilder man
ousamsa is married to lola al- hakim, and their children are kevin, sara and claude.
he purchased 1000 m2 in zitoun.
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
07 20 04 40
03 77 24 95
Tant adel, his wife, died in mid of the eighties from cancer, during the war. Their children didnt immigrate from lebanon like their cousins.
Their children
Hani Ammoun
the teacher
born 1961. the ever singel man. he works as a sport teacher in 4 schools. he has an apartment in beirut and another one in zouk. lately he bought a piece of land in arnaba near maghdoushe.
Hani is a master in chess. he got the silver medel in jordan during the arabs chess champoinship 1999 in amman. in februari 2000, he will represents lebanon in asia chess chapionships 2000. a gold medel is his aim.
address:
sed el bushereye
tel: 01 89 76 77
03 27 76 90
Haytham & Nada
the construction man
born in maghdoushe 196?, married to nada ?. they have 2 children, rita and elie-daniel.
He works as a construction forman and resides with his gfamily in maghdoushe
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
Hisham and Samira
the lift man
born also in the village, and married to samira lately. samira's parents are from a village called bna'foul, and her mother from another village named taaboura. both villages lay south of maghdoushe and are related to maghdoushe because many families there, even most of them are relatives or directly came from maghdoushe itself.
Hisham and his bride divide their time between maghdoushe and taaboura, because samira's family left bna'foul during the war.and lays south of maghdoushe.
He works in jounieh.
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
Ghassan
the lawyer man
Gassan today is a law adjacent in the lebanese army. that came after he got his degree in law from the lebanese university. his job is in the ministry of defense as an assistant in the juridical section.
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
Usama & Lola
the bodybuilder man
ousamsa is married to lola al- hakim, and their children are kevin, sara and claude.
he purchased 1000 m2 in zitoun.
address:
maghdoushe
tel:
07 20 04 40
03 77 24 95
Imad Ammoun, the engineer
Born 1972. He resides in Maghdoushe and he has a degree in Agriculture.
This is what he told us, in his own words, about his last activity: " In the National Agricultural Institute and after a tuff exams organized by (Majles Al khoudmah Al madaniah) which is responsible for all the exams for those who want to enter in the field of public service, There was 155 engineers graduated from the best universities of Europe (France, Greece, Italy and from AUB- The American University in Beirut) were most of them have masters also. And what they need actually was just 9 persons, but your cousin amazed them because, well well ehm ehm, my rank was the 2nd on 155".
He is an agricultural engineer graduated from the Lebanese university in the late 95. He was the second in his promotion. Then he get a scholarship to make his final graduation project in an international institute of research called ICARDA in Aleppo (Aleppo-Syria).
He is planning to continue his studies next year in the university.
e-mail: Imad
This is what he told us, in his own words, about his last activity: " In the National Agricultural Institute and after a tuff exams organized by (Majles Al khoudmah Al madaniah) which is responsible for all the exams for those who want to enter in the field of public service, There was 155 engineers graduated from the best universities of Europe (France, Greece, Italy and from AUB- The American University in Beirut) were most of them have masters also. And what they need actually was just 9 persons, but your cousin amazed them because, well well ehm ehm, my rank was the 2nd on 155".
He is an agricultural engineer graduated from the Lebanese university in the late 95. He was the second in his promotion. Then he get a scholarship to make his final graduation project in an international institute of research called ICARDA in Aleppo (Aleppo-Syria).
He is planning to continue his studies next year in the university.
e-mail: Imad
Riad (Atef) Ammoun, Hayat Najem
Uncle Riad born in 1932, he learned preparing drugs under the supervision of an expert pharmacology (drugs where prepared manually not like nowadays on the shelf ready to be sold).
In 1957 he joined the Internal Security Forces (the police) and at the same time he was working in the drug stores in the nights.
In 1964 he married to Hayat, his cousin (his mother's nephew).
In 1965 he was the responsible of the ISF drug store's till he left willingly the police in 1975 at the beginning o the Lebanese war.
During those 10 years he made his own business by deploying at first few Juke Box machines then about 200 of them in many entertainment centers and many other restaurants, from downtown to countryside via hotel and tourists sites.
However the war left its fingerprint obviously on everything!!!! All these places closed down and many other places have been burned down with all the machines.
On February 1998, he and his wife went for retirement in Maghdoushe. The last news say that Uncle Riad has added more rooms to his house and the picture of the old house of grandmother has changed a little.
In 1957 he joined the Internal Security Forces (the police) and at the same time he was working in the drug stores in the nights.
In 1964 he married to Hayat, his cousin (his mother's nephew).
In 1965 he was the responsible of the ISF drug store's till he left willingly the police in 1975 at the beginning o the Lebanese war.
During those 10 years he made his own business by deploying at first few Juke Box machines then about 200 of them in many entertainment centers and many other restaurants, from downtown to countryside via hotel and tourists sites.
However the war left its fingerprint obviously on everything!!!! All these places closed down and many other places have been burned down with all the machines.
On February 1998, he and his wife went for retirement in Maghdoushe. The last news say that Uncle Riad has added more rooms to his house and the picture of the old house of grandmother has changed a little.
Our story start here
Two things, we will never forget about our grandparents: Grandmother Em Adib's flowers on the both sides of her house in the village; and grandfather Abu Adib wakes up at dawn to pick out fresh grapes and figs for his hungry grandsons. To see bigger pictures click on every picture.
Abu Adib was a genderma, first with the Lebanese security forces under the French mendate, then with the Lebanese security forces after the independence. I still remember vague stories about his service in Marjeyoun area. But they are very vague and needs someone to tell us more. His name is Nicola.
Em Adib was always a housewife. Born in Darb Es-Sim a maronite village just next to Maghdoushe. Her name is Rawza.
Unfortunately, they get divorced, but both stayed to live in the village. And I can't help it but I have to tell you that it was a funny event every year when we wanted to visit the village, we the kids, had to be sure and accurate to stay the same days at grandfather's house as well as the same days at our Grandmother's house. To tell the truth, Grandfather was not so accurate about how many days, but was sure that we spend some days at his house in Dahr El-Kbir.
They are in heaven now.
Abu Adib was a genderma, first with the Lebanese security forces under the French mendate, then with the Lebanese security forces after the independence. I still remember vague stories about his service in Marjeyoun area. But they are very vague and needs someone to tell us more. His name is Nicola.
Em Adib was always a housewife. Born in Darb Es-Sim a maronite village just next to Maghdoushe. Her name is Rawza.
Unfortunately, they get divorced, but both stayed to live in the village. And I can't help it but I have to tell you that it was a funny event every year when we wanted to visit the village, we the kids, had to be sure and accurate to stay the same days at grandfather's house as well as the same days at our Grandmother's house. To tell the truth, Grandfather was not so accurate about how many days, but was sure that we spend some days at his house in Dahr El-Kbir.
They are in heaven now.
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