At the extreme north of Lebanon one finds Nahr al-Kabir,
a large river whose waters spring up from the foot
of Cornet es-Sawda, the highest peak in Lebanon. This
stream marks the northern border separating our country
from Syria at a distance of about eighty miles from
the capital Beirut. At a point nearly 1,200 feet above
sea level lies the village of Mounjez.
Its name is of Syriac origin and means the hoarder,
one who hides a fortune. To reach Moumjez one may
take the coastal road from Tripoli as far as El-Abdeh,
from where one turns east towards the village of Halba
and then to Aramiya, at which place a turning to the
left takes one to Mounjez.
Several monuments and remains await one there, including
the monastery of Our Lady of the Citadel, the Citadel
of Philip, the ancient church of Saint Daniel, an
old mill, a former palace, an ancient necropolis,
and several wells. One can visit the river Nahr al-Kabir,
and the sculpture and drawing studios and workshops
of the Daoud family.
The monastery of Our Lady of the Citadel, which belongs
to the Lebanese Maronite Order, is one of the most
beautiful in Lebanon and is a site where several miraculous
cures of sick people have been known. In the region
of Akkar there are many remains of ancient churches
and temples. Several of the former go back to the
Crusader era, when they were built on the remains
of previous ancient Phoenician and Roman temples.
In fact, one gets the feeling that the whole region
is an open-air museum. Many visitors come, particularly
on September 8th, a feast-day of Our Lady, the Virgin
Mary. There is much rejoicing on this occasion and
many ceremonies, with prayers and sometimes even miracles.
The monastery was built during Crusader times in the
year 1128 on the bank of the great River at a site
surrounded by forest. There one can see a black stone
inscribed with the name of the god Fortune, the Greek
and Roman god of Providence.
The citadel was sold to Raymond de Saint-Gilles for
the sum of 450,000 Byzantine francs. It later came
into the possession of the Knights of Saint John,
in whose name a church was built there. The Knights
lay down their arms at the feet of the Virgin before
going off to battle. In 1892 the Jesuit Fathers took
over the monastery, built a school and restored the
church. The monastery is now, as said above, in the
hands of the Lebanese Maronite Order.
Mounjez is a delightful spot near Kobayat, for the
whole region is pleasant and most interesting to visit
and get to know. One becomes attached to the area
and fond of it.
Joseph Matar
Translated from the French by K.J. Mortimer
- Monastery of Our Lady of the Citadel: >>
View Movie << (2018-05-18)
