Our Lady of Lebanon

Our Lady of Lebanon
Queen and Patroness of Lebanon
Venerated in Roman Catholicism
Eastern Catholicism
Maronite Church
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Major shrine Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, Harissa, Lebanon
Feast 1st Sunday of May
Attributes Blessed Virgin Mary with outstretched hands, bronze crown
Patronage Lebanon and Lebanese people

The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon (Arabic: سيدة لبنان‎‎, Sayyidat Lubnān; French: Notre Dame du Liban) is a Marian shrine and a pilgrimage site in Lebanon.

The shrine belongs to the Maronite Patriarchate who entrusted its administration to the Congregation of Maronite Lebanese Missionaries since its foundation in 1904. It is one of the most important shrines in the world honoring Mary, Mother of Jesus. The shrine is highlighted by a huge, 15-ton bronze statue. It is 8.5 m high, and has a diameter of five meters. The Virgin Mary stretches her hands towards Beirut.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon draws millions of faithful both Christians and Muslims from all over the world. The 50th jubilee in 1954 was also the hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception. During these celebrations, Pope Pius XII sent his representative, Cardinal Angelo Roncalli (later to become Pope John XXIII) to Lebanon. Pope John Paul II visited Our Lady of Lebanon in 1997.

The Congregation of Maronite Lebanese Missionaries, responsible for the administration, works at reinforcing relations among all local Churches, Christian communities and apostolic movements.

The Lebanese Christians as well as the Druze and Muslims have a special devotion to Mary, Mother of Jesus. The Maronite Patriarch of Antioch named her the "Queen of Lebanon" in 1908 upon completion of the shrine.[1] Overlooking the bay of Jounieh, the shrine has become a major tourist attraction where tourists take the gondola lift, the Téléphérique, from the city of Jounieh to Harissa.

History

Shrine at night

The Statue of Our Lady of Lebanon is a French-made, 13-ton statue, made of bronze and painted white,[2] of the Virgin Mary. It was erected in 1907 on top of a hill, 650 meters above sea level, in the village of Harissa, 20 km north of Beirut in honor of Our Lady of Lebanon. The land was donated by Yousef Khazen.[3] It was made up of seven sections that were assembled on top of the stone base, which had a bottom perimeter of 64m, an upper perimeter of 12m and with an overall height of 20m. The height of the statue is 8.50m while its perimeter is 5.50m. The statue and the shrine were inaugurated in 1908, and it has become a major pilgrimage destination.

Papal Visit

Pope John Paul II visited the shrine when he made an official visit to Lebanon on May 10, 1997. He conducted a mass in the modern Basilica. On December 8, 1998, the Vatican announced that the World Day of the Sick would be celebrated on February 11, 1999 at Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa.[4] Pope John Paul II prayed that Our Lady of Lebanon who had watched over the agonizing suffering of the Lebanese people could help all those who were suffering in the world.[4]

Pope Benedict XVI launched an appeal for peace in Lebanon and Gaza by invoking the protection of Our Lady of Lebanon on January 28, 2007. He said, "To Christians in Lebanon, I repeat the exhortation to be promoters of real dialogue between the various communities, and upon everyone I invoke the protection of Our Lady of Lebanon."

The Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon as well as the residences of four Eastern Catholic Churches patriarchs reside in the vicinity of the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon.[5]

Churches, schools, and shrines dedicated to Our Lady of Lebanon

Argentina

Australia

Brazil

Melkite Church of Our Lady of Lebanon in Fortaleza, Brazil

Canada

Colombia

France

Mexico

Philippines

South Africa

Our Lady Of Lebanon Church In Johannesburg, photos by Paul Saad
Our Lady Of Lebanon Mulbarton, Johannesburg, photos by Paul Saad

UK

USA

Brooklyn cathedral

California

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Florida

Illinois

Massachusetts

Michigan

Missouri

New York

Ohio

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

Texas

West Virginia

Uruguay

References

  1. ↑ Lebanon
  2. ↑ Jousiffe, Ann. Lebanon, page 146
  3. ↑ "Francis Abee Nader and his son Yousef". Khazen.org.
  4. 1 2 VII World Day of the Sick, 1999
  5. ↑ Profile
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Coordinates: 33°58′54″N 35°39′05″E / 33.98167°N 35.65139°E / 33.98167; 35.65139

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