Our Lady of Lebanon

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.

"Notre Dame du Liban" redirects here. For the church in Paris, see Our Lady of Lebanon of Paris Cathedral. For the eparchy in Paris, see Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Paris.
For other uses, see Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral (disambiguation).
Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon
French: Notre Dame du Liban
Arabic: سيدة لبنان‎
Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon
Religion
OwnershipMaronite Church
PatronOur Lady of Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanese people
Feast1st Sunday of May
Location
LocationHarissa
CountryLebanon
AdministrationCongregation of Maronite Lebanese Missionaries
Architecture
StyleBlessed Virgin Mary with outstretched hands, bronze crown
Completed1904
Our Lady of Lebanon
Queen and Patroness of Lebanon
Venerated inLatin Catholicism
Eastern Catholicism
Maronite Church
Melkite Greek Church
Major shrineShrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, Harissa, Lebanon
Feast1st Sunday of May
AttributesBlessed Virgin Mary with outstretched hands, bronze crown
PatronageLebanon and Lebanese people
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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

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 diameter 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]

  • Our Lady of Lebanon captured from above, by Mikhael Bitar
  • The chapel is surmounted by the statue of Our Lady of Lebanon
  • Harissa Cathedral From Bat'ha
  • Shrine at night
  • Entrance of Sanctuary Our Lady of Lebanon

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

Main article: Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral (disambiguation)

Argentina
  • Instituto Nuestra Señora del Libano, San Martin, Mendoza, Argentina
  • Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Libano, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Australia
  • Our Lady Of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Melbourne VIC
  • Our Lady Of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Harris Park, Sydney, NSW
  • Our Lady of Lebanon College, Harris Park, Sydney, NSW
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, West Wollongong NSW

Brazil
Melkite Church of Our Lady of Lebanon in Fortaleza, Brazil

Canada

Colombia

France

Mexico

Philippines
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Parish Church, Quezon City, Metro Manila
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Pasay City, Metro Manila
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Cebu City, Cebu
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Parish, Davao City
  • National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, Cotabato City
  • Parish Church of Our Lady of Lebanon, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Church, General Santos City, South Cotabato
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Parish, Zamboanga City
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Parish, Sultan Kudarat
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Dipolog City
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Iligan City
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Church, Isabela City, Basilan

South Africa
Our Lady Of Lebanon Church In Johannesburg
Our Lady Of Lebanon Mulbarton, Johannesburg

United Kingdom
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Parish – London

United States
Brooklyn cathedral

California
  • Mariam Mother of Life Shrine (replica of Our Lady of Lebanon) at St. Ephrem's Maronite Catholic Church – El Cajon, California
  • Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon – Los Angeles, California
  • Our Lady of Mount Lebanon – Los Angeles, California
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Antiochene Catholic Church – Millbrae, California

Connecticut
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Waterbury, Connecticut

District of Columbia

Florida
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Miami, Florida

Illinois
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Lombard, Illinois

Massachusetts
  • Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon, Boston, Massachusetts

Michigan
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Flint, Michigan

Missouri
  • Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, Saint Louis, Missouri

New York

Ohio

Oklahoma
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Catholic Church, Norman, Oklahoma

Pennsylvania
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Easton, Pennsylvania

Texas
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Austin, Texas
  • Our Lady of the Cedars Maronite Catholic Church, Houston, Texas
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Lewisville, Texas

West Virginia
  • Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, Wheeling, West Virginia

Uruguay

See also

References
  1. Lebanon
  2. Jousiffe, Ann. Lebanon, page 146
  3. "Francis Abee Nader and his son Yousef". Khazen.org.
  4. VII World Day of the Sick, 1999
  5. Profile Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine

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