Lebanon, Biblical Land of the Beloved

Mary and Lebanon are two terms the Bible joined early on...

Prior to becoming Christian, Lebanon is the only country in the world that has merited by its beauty and its charms to be compared to the most beautiful of all creatures. Once Christianized, it became the chosen land of Our Lady. The worship for Our Lady that this nation has continuously given has been the best safeguard for its faith.

To express his Marian devotion, the Christian has used the Arabic language and Christians have written a profusion of prayers and hymns in Arabic, to use with the official liturgy.

A Lebanese writer was asked, during the Lebanese declaration of independence after World War I, to compose a national hymn. He excused himself and said that this hymn already existed: it's called the "Good Mother of God". He was referring to the hymn sung at the moment of the benediction by the image of Our Lady, a hymn that none of the mountain dwellers ignore.

This shows to what extent the devotion to the Virgin Mary is rooted in the heart of Lebanese Christians. The same writer took as the symbol of Lebanon the village church, which is often dedicated to Our Lady. An ancient oak tree can often be found in the courtyard of these churches. 

The hymn "Good Mother of God" 

"Good Mother of God, treasure of mercy and grace,

You are our refuge and our hope,

Protect us, O Mary, and have mercy on our deceased.

Although you are far away from us, O Virgin Mary,

May your intercession accompany and save us.

From Him who raised you above all creatures,

And took flesh from you,

Obtain forgiveness for us sinners, forever.

You are our mother, our hope, our glory and our refuge,

Intercede for us to your Son,

And ask him to forgive us our sins by His mercy.

Desert us not, O Good Mary, O full of all grace,

Save all of your servants,

So that we may thank you forever more." 

Prayer to Our lady of Sorrows

The prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows, which is used to close the Holy Week office, is even more touching.

In the mountain parishes, the Holy Week is a week of true spiritual retreat; the office of the Passion is sung each evening in the church and all the believers feel called to attend this office. It is like an obligation and they would almost prefer to miss Sunday mass rather than miss this celebration.

For over an hour, hymns are sung that are no longer comprehensible, but the sad and monotone music encourages a feeling of prayer and meditation. The readings in Arabic language are inserted throughout the office. The heart of the faithful is prepared by the music and lets itself be penetrated, educated and touched by the words of the Holy Scriptures. At the end of the ceremony, voices are raised to sympathize with and console the sorrows of the Mother of God, at this time sung in a language which is understood by everyone, using stanza whose origin no one can remember. This music perfectly expresses the feelings of the popular soul.

The entire congregation sings: men, women and children - even the most headstrong intellectuals are unable to resist the fervor. They no longer notice either the imperfection of such tearful and simple words, nor the excessive realism of a text that is often lacking good taste. They participate in the collective prayer that swells the hearts during the night.

The text of these hymns reminds us of the "Stabat Mater". Who wrote and composed the music? We do not know if we'll ever find the answer to that question. This ceremony is like other works that the collectivity has put their soul into - despite whoever the author turns out to be - this hymn is only a symbol. It is certainly the creation of this nation that penetrates into an intimacy with Mary, filled with an affection and simplicity only to be found with regard to Our Lady.

Mary is the veritable educator of this nation.

Our Lady's shrines in Lebanon

Once one has witnessed these Christians praying to Mary with such intimate love and unanimity, it is no longer surprising to see all the shrines built in her honor.

In Lebanon, Mary is invoked by many names: Our Lady of Grace, Our Lady of Talents, Our Lady of Protection, Our Lady of Deliverance, Our Lady of Consolation, and Our Lady of Sorrows...

She is honored everywhere: Our Lady of the Field, Our Lady of the Woods, Our Lady of the Hill, Our Lady of the Strong, Our Lady of Lebanon. Very few villages do not have their own chapel dedicated to Our Lady; on roadsides, in each station from the past, an altar or an icon of Mary can be found.

None of these Lebanese shrines is really remarkable for its architecture: the Christian population of Lebanon has been persecuted for many years and it is only concerned about safeguarding its faith. Lebanese shrines have only the celebrity of the devotion that is their reason to exist and the role they played in the history of the Catholic communities in Lebanon.

Our Lady of Quannoubin in the holy valley of Our Lady of Illige, on the mountain of Batroun, has been the residence of the Maronite patriarchs, whose succession symbolizes the struggle of the Maronite people to defend their faith.

Our Lady of Bzomar is the protectress of the Catholic Armenian community and the sign of their attachment to the Vatican. The icon of Mary honored at the residence of the patriarch in Charfeh was companion in exile of the first patriarch of Catholic Syrian community.

Some shrines are well-known: Our Lady of Protection in the south of Lebanon, Our Lady of the Strong and Our Lady of the Fortress in the north of Lebanon, and appropriately named because Mary was the strength of this very brave Lebanese Christian population that who held their rosary in one hand and their instrument of defense in the other.

On the two borders, a strong Marian presence protects them. Among the Virgin Mary's shrines in Lebanon, two have especially had an extraordinary influence. They have become places of national pilgrimage. The first is Our Lady of Deliverance at Bikfaya, the second Our Lady of Lebanon at Harissa.

The devotion to the Virgin Mary lies very deep in the Lebanese people. They might give in on other points but when it means renouncing their love of Our Lady, a strong bonding keeps them faithful. They have the hope that their faith will never let them run astray.

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(Our Lady of France Magazine, issue #41, September 2000)