Our Lady of Lebanon - Harissa

Estephan Nehme

The hands of Blessed Estephan Nehme.

Crucified on a Cedar Tree

“Nothing afflicts the heart of Jesus so much as to see all His sufferings of no avail to so many.”

-Saint John Mary Vianney

Our Lady of Lebanon

“Always stay close to this Heavenly Mother, because she is the sea to be crossed to reach the shores of Eternal Splendour.”
-Saint Padre Pio

Monastery of St. Anthony - Qozhaya Lebanon

The Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great (Mar Antonios al-Kabir) is situated at a height of 950 meters above sea level in the celebrated Valley of Qozhaya, " the Living Treasure ", in the Zghorta district of North Lebanon.

The pine trees and oak trees cover the great hills surrounding it. Fruit trees of every description grow all along the valley which extends into the Valley of Qannubin to form the great Qadisha Valley, thus bearing witness to the history of eremitic life and the quest for holiness in Lebanon.

St Pauls Basilica - Harissa

Beautiful greek Melkite Basilica located south of the Our Lady of Lebanon statue and built between 1947 and 1962.

1 - Icons inside St Pauls Basilica - Harissa

2 - Icons inside St Pauls Basilica - Harissa

3 - Icons inside St Pauls Basilica - Harissa

Our Lady of Mantara - Magdouche

Our Lady of Mantara

The sanctuary of Our Lady of Mantara originates in the Holy Tradition because we say that the Virgin Mary (Gospel t o St Mark 7:24) came with her son Jesus to Tyre and Sidon. But the Jewish women could not go in pagan towns. As Sidon was a cananean town, that means a pagan town, the Virgin Mary waited for her son in this cave in Maghdouche’, because the Roman road which led from Jerusalem to the Lebanese coast went through this village. She “waited” for him praying and meditating, that’s why we call her Our “Waiting” Lady.
We allocate to the cave of Our Waiting Lady several miracles. The Virgin pays especially attention to the needs of children and sterile women.

Our Lady of Mantara, pray for us.

Happiness

We convince ourselves that life will be bettre once we are married, have a baby, then another.
Then we get frustrated because our children are not old enough and that all will be well when they are older.
Then we are frustrated because they reach adolescence and we must deal with them. Surely well be happier when they grow out of the teen years.

We tell ourselves our life will be better when our spouse gets his/her act together, when we have a nicer car, when we can take a vacation, when we finally retire.

The truth is that there is no better time to be happy than right now.

If not, then when?

Your life will always be full of challenges. It is better to admit as much and to decide to be happy inspite of it all.

There isnt any road to happiness.

Happiness IS the road.
So, enjoy every moment.

Stop waiting for school to end, for a return to school, to lose ten pounds, to gain ten pounds, for work to begin, to get married, for Friday evening, for Sunday morning, waiting for a new car, for your mortgage to be paid off, for spring, for summer, for autumn, for winter, for the first or the fifteenth of the month, for your song to be played on the radio, to die, to be reborn...before deciding to be happy.

Sunset Over Harissa

You can see the port of Jounieh below.

Sunset Over Harissa

Out of all the photos and videos Ive seen of
sunsets throughout my life, This was without doubt to most amazingly spectacular beautiful and holy sunsets I have ever seen.

This was taken on a late balmy evening in Harissa. All the elements just combined perfectly for about 5 minutes to give us this Amazing view.

The photos here, in no way do justice to the breathtaking scene that was there before us.

The Lady decided to welcome me after 18 years away with this stunning display over the mediterranean.

Our Lady and the Basilica

Death of the Cedar

Like Christ, it is being crucified for other peoples inequities...

Like Christ, Lebanon will rise again.

Entrance to Our Lady

Visitors to Our Lady who have their shoulders exposed are given a light blue apron that goes over their shoulders. You will notice those blue aprons at the front gates.

If you look closely to the left hand side of the photo, you will see the entrance of the Telefrique or the Cable Cars. This will take you down to Jounieh and from Jounieh will bring you upt to Harissa.

A most memorable ride and one not to be missed.

Baroque Cedar Tree

One of the many Baroque Cedar Trees surrounding the base of The Lady

Our Lady of Lebanon

I remember as a kid, I used to love running up and down the steps of the tower. All 104 of them.
It was quite a special moment when i did it again 18 years later.

Front of Our Lady of Lebanon Basilica

The Basilica can seat four thousand believers who can sit and admire the statue of the Virgin through a glass front of 20 meters with 42 meters height.

Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon

Our Lady of Lebanon Basilica

Statue of Our lady of Lebanon

Our Lady of Lebanon at Night

Our Lady of Lebanon

Our lady of Lebanon Basilica

Our Lady of Lebanon Basilica was built during the 1970's in the style of a Cedar tree and a Phoenician ship.

Notre Dame du Liban Harrisa

The statue of The Virgin Mary is a 20 tonne 15m tall bronze statue built in the 19th century and stood with outstretched hands ever since overlooking the bay of Jounieh

The Statue was made in Lyon - France and brought to Lebanon and installed in 1908.

Cedars of Lebanon

With all the destruction Lebanons experiancing all over again, I felt i needed to post something Uniquely Lebanese. Something thats solid, thats strong and Everlasting. Something that is Lebanon itself.

For as long as the Cedars Stand, Lebanon will Stand.

This is truely Gods favourite Garden.

Statue of St Charbel

Not sure the exact height of this massive statue, But its somewhere in the order of 5 meters.

Its located outside the main church next to Saint Charbel's House, Back facing the Qadisha Valley.

Jesus at the Last Super

Statues of the Apostles

Family Scene from the early life of Saint Charbel

This is a scene from the early life of the Saint.
His Father and brother Bchara and a young St Charbel praying in the background.

Mini Museum next St Charbels House

This is a mini musem in the room behind St Charbel house.

It contains drawn pictures of the Saint sent in by people from across the world. Also contain Photos of his Mother and Dad.

Also contain items such as walking sticks and instruments that used to aid people with physical dissabilities who have been cured by the Saint.

View of Bekaa Kafra from Bcharre

This is the view of Bekaa Kafra from Bcharre.
Bekaa Kafra, the birth place of Saint Charbel, is the highest village in Lebanon at 1560m.

View of Bcharre from Bekaa Kafra

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This is the view of Bcharre from the church of Saint Charbel. The two are on opposite sides of the Qadisha Valley. Which is also known as the Holy Valley. Bcharre is also the birth place of the great lebanese writer, poet and painter Gibran Khalil Gibran.

Inside the Family House of Saint Charbel

This is the inside of the Family House of the Saint. Made of Stone and Mud. It is now a little Church.

Entrance of the House of Saint Charbel

This is the Family house of Saint Charbel

Sign Leading to the house of St Charbel

Sign reads: The Entrance to the House of the Saint Charbel

Stairs Leading up to the House of Saint Charbel

Shrine of St Charbel Bekaa Kafra

The Shrine of St Charbel in Bekaa Kafra, his village, just opposite the stairs leading upto his families house.

Candles at Saint Charbel Anaya

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Candles at Our Lady of the Star Jieh

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Candles at Saint Antonios Qozhaya

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Candles at Our Lady of Lebanon Harrisa

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Candles at St Rafqa

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"If you're hurt by someone, you can forget the wound.

But if you hurt him, you will always remember..."

Khalil Gibran

Test

The Virgin Cardiotissa 1400 - 50
Byzantine Art
Angelos Akoantos

I must admit Ive never liked Byzantine style art.
It just seemed to simple and too flat for me.

But after getting close and personal with this photo, digitally removing scratch and scuff marks and enhacing it, it started the grow on me.