Fih ( ar, فيع, or Fiaa) is a

Greek Orthodox Christian The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...

village situated in

Koura District Koura District ( ar, ٱلْكُورَة, from gr, χώρα, lit=country) is a district in the North Governorate, Lebanon. Koura is one of the 26 districts of Lebanon, particularly known for its olive tree cultivation and olive oil production. ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

. The name "Fih" is derived from an Aramaic root. Its meanings include "the place where the sheep bleat", "the abundance and exuberance", "the beautiful and charming" and "of wind and breeze".

The High Hill

Since the

Phoenicia Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...

n age the tradition was to choose high ground to build

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...

s and

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

s. The tradition is referenced in the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...

: "For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree." Fih is one of the highest hill in El-Koura overlooking the coast and was one of the most important sacred hills in the region. Fih remains the center of the celebration of St. Simon, its

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

. The shrine is surrounded by cemeteries.

Father Nicola Yanney

Fr. Nicola Yanney was born in Fi'eh al-Koura and emigrated to the United States around 1893, settling in Nebraska. In 1904, he was ordained a priest by Bishop Raphael Hawaweeny. He was the first permanent pastor of St. George Orthodox Church in Kearney, Nebraska, though he also ministered throughout the Midwest to communities in nineteen states including Missouri, Nebraska, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Kansas. Fr. Yanney was an important figure in the early Syrian (Lebanese) Orthodox Church in America and the first to serve the Orthodox community in the Midwest. He died in 1918 from the Spanish Flu. A detailed biography of Fr. Yanney's life is available via the website of the Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies.

References

Christian communities in Lebanon Eastern Orthodox Christian communities in Lebanon Populated places in the North Governorate Koura District {{Lebanon-geo-stub