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Ref: LOS: YEAR 2007 Two thousand years ago, news of the teachings and the healing powers of the Prophet of Galilee reached Lebanon, and prompted people from Lebanon to go and witness the wonder of this man called Jesus. He himself was to visit Lebanon and while there he famously turned water in wine at Cana, southeast of Tyre, and also healed the daughter of a Phoenicia woman (Matt. 15, 21-28; Mk. 7, 24-31). A couple of miles southeast of Sidon lies a grotto housing a Church dedicated to Sayyidat al Mantarah (Our Lady of the Watch) and is where Mary awaited her son's advent. Many of Christ's followers went to Lebanon and St. Paul visited and stayed in Lebanon on a number of occasions and by the close of the second century Tyre had become the seat of a Christian bishop. In 325 the bishop of Sidon attended the council of Niceia and in 335 a council was held in Tyre, at about the same time a missionary from Tyre introduced Christianity to Ethiopia. Christianity has thus been linked with Lebanon from the earliest of times and plays a major role in its culture and society and monasteries cover its landscape. Being such a religious land it is not surprising that Lebanon has produced a number of Saints through the ages. During the first decades of persecution the Lebanese offered many martyrs such as St. Tlalaos of Mount Lebanon (d.284) St. Aquilina of Byblos (d.293), St Christina of Tyre (d.300), St Theodosia of Tyre (d.293), St Kyrillus of Baalback (d.362) St. Dorothee, bishop of Tyre (d.362) and many others. However not all of the Saints lived in days of antiquity. Lebanon has also been blessed with relatively modern Saints who inspire millions. Saint Charbel Makhlouf, whom Pope Paul Vl canonized on October 9th, 1977, and Rafqa Rayess, whom Pope John-Paul II beatified on November 17th, 1985, and Nimutallah al-Hardini's beatified by Pope John Paul II on Sunday May 10, 1998 are Maronites who followed Jesus Christ doing his will.
Program 6days-5nights
Day1 arrival Beirut International Airport Meet & assist transfer to hotel in Jounieh. Dinner and overnight
Day2 the Valley of Saints (Jounieh – Qadisha Valley – Jounieh) Filled with caves and rock shelters inhabited from the 3rd millennium BC to the Roman period, the valley is scattered with cave chapels, hermitages and monasteries cut from rock. The highlights in the valley are: the Rock-cut Monastery of Qouzhaya; and the Monastery of Qannoubin. UNESCO as a World Heritage site now classifies the valley.
Day3 Saint Hardini & Saint Rafka (Jounieh – Jrepta – Hardini – Jounieh) Drive few kilometers to the south, visit the Chapel of the Holy Savior at Kubba built in 12th century, a beautiful structure still in an excellent state of preservation. Proceed to Edde town to visit the church of Mar Saba, a small medieval building of pale stone, still retains fragments of 13th century wall paintings. Drive after then towards the pilgrimage site of the Monaestry of Saint Cyprien and Justinian in nearby village of Kfifane where the Blessed Nematallah Kassab Al Hardini is buried in this modest place. An outstanding linguist, notably in the Arab and Syriac languages, Father Al Hardini died on December 14, 1858 at the age of 48. he was canonized in 2004. Some distance from Kfifane and in the deep “wilderness” east of Batroun where Blessed Father Hardini lived, is the Monastery of Mar Youssef Al Dahr at Jrebta. Surrounded with ancient trees, the monastery lies at the heart of a lonely region notable for its savage beauty. It is here that the Blessed Sister Rafqa is buried. Born on June 19, 1833 aspiring to total devotion to God. She died a saintly death in 1914 and her remains were moved to the tomb that still remains in the church and soon it became a place of pilgrimage. On November 17, 1985 she was beatified by the Holy See. Saint Rafqa was canonized on June 10, 2001. return to hotel in Jounieh for dinner and overnight
Day4 Saint Charbel (Jounieh – Annaya – Bkerke – Harissa – Beirut) Drive east to visit the Monastery of Mar Maroun at Annaya, the hermitage and tomb of Saint Charbel, who was born on May 8, 1828 in Bqaa Qafra in the region of the Cedars. St. Charbel is today the object of veneration and his life is a supreme example of absolute devotion to God. Died on December 24, 1898. Beatified in 1965, he was canonized in October 1977. Proceed to Bkerke, to visit the residence of the Maronite Patriarch, then to Harissa or Our Lady of Lebanon before driving to Beirut for city tour and overnight. Dinner at hotel
Day5 The Holy South – Sidon - Qana (“The Miracle of Wine”) – Tyre Drive to Sidon to visit the Sea Castle then continue to Qana , and discover the stone jars described in the Gospel, namely the ones that contained water and Christ turned into wine. Their volume corresponds to the one described in the New Testament: 80 to 120 liters. Near the village of Cana, on a big isolated rock, there is a sculpture representing twelve persons and, in the middle of them, a thirteenth person of bigger height stands up, this probably symbolizes the twelve disciples and Christ. Proceed to Tyre, the first city that had its own church; on his way to Jerusalem in 57AD, St. Paul stopped by, discovered some disciples, and stayed seven days (Acts, XXI, 4). Visit the vestiges of Tyre Crusader Cathedral . Drive to Sarafand, the biblical Zarephath (later known as Sarepta) that is famous for the miracle of Elijah who raised the widow’s son from the dead and multiplied her olive oil and grain supplies (1 Kings 17). Proceed to visit Maghdoucheh, where the sanctuary of Saydet el-Mantara, or Our Lady of Care, dug in the rock. It is a chapel where the Virgin Mary waited for her Son while He was preaching on the Lebanese coastline. On September 8, (feast of Virgin Nativity), people go on pilgrimage to the cave. Return back to Beirut for dinner overnight.
Day6 Departure Transfer to Beirut International Airport for departure.
Price per person in sharing double room on Half Board basis in US Dollars: Low Season
High Season
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Validity: this offer is valid for year 2007 as per low and high season
R. Rida International – Jal El Dib Highway – Al Arz Center 4th floor – POBox 90-1477 – Beirut – Lebanon – Tel: 961.4. 718 790 – Fax: 961.4. 718 758/9 – Email: joumana@ridaint.com.lb
N.B: Mass can be arranged daily and upon request. Offer is valid for year 2007 |
