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Wadi al-Nasara ( ar, وادي النصارى /
ALA-LC
ALA-LC (American Library AssociationLibrary of Congress) is a set of standards for romanization, the representation of text in other writing systems using the Latin script.
Applications
The system is used to represent bibliographic information by ...
: ''Wādī an-Naṣārá'',
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
: Κοιλάδα των Χριστιανών, ''Koiláda ton Christianón'', which both mean "Valley of Christians") is an area in western
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, close to the
Lebanese border
Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
and administratively belonging to the
governorate of Homs.
Most people in the area are
Greek Orthodox Christians
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 ...
. A large part of the valley's population comes originally from
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 the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
's northern Christian villages. Their migration to the nearby valley in Syria began in the mid-19th century as a result of the
Mount Lebanon Civil War.
The area of Wadi-Al Nasara is ecclesiastically under the
Archdiocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
of
Akkar
Akkar District ( ar, قضاء عكار) is the only district in Akkar Governorate, Lebanon. It is coextensive with the governorate and covers an area of . The UNHCR estimated the population of the district to be 389,899 in 2015, including 106,935 ...
, which has its seat in
Cheikh Taba
Cheikh Taba ( ar, الشيخ طابا) is a town in Akkar Governorate, Lebanon, close to the border with Syria.
The population in Cheikh Taba are mostly Greek Orthodox and Maronite. History
In 1838, Eli Smith noted the village as ''esh- ...
, Lebanon. The current Greek-Orthodox Metropolitan of Akkar and Wadi al-Nasara and its dependencies (
Safita
Safita ( ar, صَافِيتَا '; phn, 𐤎𐤐𐤕𐤄, ''Sōpūte'') is a city in the Tartous Governorate, northwestern Syria, located to the southeast of Tartous and to the northwest of Krak des Chevaliers. It is situated on the tops of ...
and
Tartus
)
, settlement_type = City
, image_skyline =
, imagesize =
, image_caption = Tartus corniche Port of Tartus • Tartus beach and boulevard Cathedral of Our Lady of Tortosa • Al-Assad Stadium&n ...
) is Mgr Basilius Mansour.
Touristic Attractions
Wadi al-Nasara used to be a popular tourist site before the outbreak of the
Syrian civil war. Among its touristic attractions are the
Saint George's Monastery located in the town of
Al-Mishtaya
Al-Mishtaya ( ar, المشتاية) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate, located west of Homs and north of the border with Lebanon. Nearby localities include al-Husn to the southeast, Zweitina to the ...
, the
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers, ar, قلعة الحصن, Qalʿat al-Ḥiṣn also called Hisn al-Akrad ( ar, حصن الأكراد, Ḥiṣn al-Akrād, rtl=yes, ) and formerly Crac de l'Ospital; Krak des Chevaliers or Crac des Chevaliers (), is a medieva ...
Crusader castle located in the village of
Al-Husn and the shrine of the
Lady of the Valley
The Lady of the Valley ( ar, سيدة الوادي, ''Sayyidat al-Wadi'') is a Marian shrine inaugurated on 16 August 2009, located in Al-Nasirah, Wadi al-Nasara in Syria. The statue is built near the Lady of the Valley Church on top of ''Moun ...
in
Al-Nasirah.
Villages in the valley
*
Al-Hawash ( ar, الحواش)
*
Mizyeneh
Mizyeneh or Mazyanah ( ar, المزينة) is a small Greek Orthodox Christian village located in Western Syria close to the Lebanese borders and administratively belonging to the Homs Governorate. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Stat ...
( ar, المزينة)
*
Marmarita
Marmarita ( ar, مرمريتا, syc, ܡܪܡܪܝܬܐ, ) is a village in northwestern Syria, located west of Homs. Marmarita is one of the largest villages in Wadi al-Nasara ("Valley of the Christians"), a region north of Talkalakh. In 2004, Marm ...
( ar, مرمريتا)
*
Habnamrah
Habnamrah ( ar, حبنمرة, also spelled ''Habnemra'') is a village in northern Syria located west of Homs in the Homs Governorate. It is situated in the area known as Wadi al-Nasara ('valley of the Christians'). According to the Syria Centra ...
( ar, حب نمرة)
*
Anaz
Anaz ( ar, عناز, also spelled ''Aanaz'') is a village in northern Syria located west of Homs in the Homs Governorate. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Anaz had a population of 2,038 in the 2004 census. Its inhabitants are ...
( ar, عناز)
*
al-Mishtaya
Al-Mishtaya ( ar, المشتاية) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate, located west of Homs and north of the border with Lebanon. Nearby localities include al-Husn to the southeast, Zweitina to the ...
( ar, المشتاية)
*
Tallah
Tallah is an American nu metal band from Pennsylvania. They are currently signed to Earache Records.
History Formation and ''No One Should Read This'' (2017-2020)
Founded in 2017, Tallah was formed by drummer Max Portnoy, who asked guitarist ...
( ar, التل)
*
Kafra ( ar, كفرا)
*
al-Nasirah ( ar, الناصرة)
*
Mashta Azar ( ar, مشتى عازار)
*
Ain al-Ghara ( ar, عين الغارة)
*
Qalatiyah ( ar, القلاط)
*
Ain al-Barda ( ar, عين الباردة)
*
Zweitina
Zweitina or Zuwaytinah ( ar, زُويتينة / ALA-LC: ''Zūwaytīnah'') is a small Greek Orthodox Christian village located in Western Syria close to the Lebanese borders and administratively belonging to the Homs Governorate. Its location in t ...
( ar, الزويتينة)
*
Bahzina ( ar, بحزينا)
*
Ballat ( ar, بلاط)
*
Kimah ( ar, كيمة)
*
Tannurin
Tannurin ( ar, تنورين) is a village in Syria in the Talkalakh District, Homs Governorate. It is situated in the area known as Wadi al-Nasara ('valley of the Christians'). According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Tannurin had a ...
( ar, تنورين)
*
Ain al-Ajouz ( ar, عين العجوز)
*
Daghlah ( ar, دغلة)
*
Jiwar al-Afas ( ar, جوار العفص)
*
Muklous
Muqlus or Mqlos ( ar, مقلس, also spelled Mqlos, Mukloss, Muklous or Muklis) is a village in western Syria, close to the Lebanon, Lebanese border and administratively belonging to the Homs Governorate, governorate of Homs.
It is situated in th ...
( ar, مقلس)
*
Kafr Ram Kafr may refer to:
* A Levantine Arabic term for village
* Kafir, an Arabic term for an infidel
* Kafr, Iran, a village
See also
*
* Kafir (disambiguation)
* Al-Kafr
Al-Kafr ( ar, الكفر, also spelled ''al-Kefr'') is a village in as-Suwayda ...
( ar, كفرام)
*
Rabah, Syria
Rabah ( ar, رباح) is a village in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Homs Governorate, located west of the city of Homs. Nearby localities include Muklous to the west, Hawash and Zweitina to the southwest, Shin to the southeast, ...
( ar, رباح)
*
Amar al-Husn
Amar al-Husn ( ar, عمار الحصن; also known simply as 'Amar) is a village in northern Syria located west of Homs in the Homs Governorate. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Amar al-Husn had a population of 373 in the 200 ...
( ar, عمار الحصن)
*
Juwaniyat ( ar, جوانيات)
*
Ain al-Raheb ( ar, عين الراهب)
*
Ish al-Shuha
'Ish al-Shuhah ( ar, عش الشوحة, also spelled ''Ash al-Shuha'' or ''Ushsh ash-Shuhah'') is a village in northern Syria located west of Homs in the Homs Governorate. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, 'Ish al-Shuhah had a ...
( ar, عش الشوحة)
*
al-Muqaabarat ( ar, مقعبرة)
*
al-Mazraah ( ar, مزرعة)
*
Duwair al-Lin ( ar, دوير اللين)
*
Al-Husn ( ar, الحصن)
Notable people from the Valley of the Christians
*
Victor Atiyeh
Victor George Atiyeh (; February 20, 1923 – July 20, 2014) was an American politician who served as the 32nd Governor of Oregon from 1979 to 1987. He was also the first elected governor of Middle Eastern descent and of Syrian descent in the Un ...
- American politician, former Governor of Oregon (father was from
Al-Husn)
*
Joseph Atiyeh
Joseph Atiyeh ( ar, جوزيف عطية, born October 8, 1957) is a retired Syrian wrestler and the winner of Syria's first Olympic medal.
Early life
Atiyeh was born in Amar al-Husn, Homs Governorate, Syria. His parents immigrated to Allent ...
- Olympic medalist, winner of Syria's first Olympic medal (born in Al-Husn)
*
Mitch Daniels
Mitchell Elias Daniels Jr. (born April 7, 1949) is an American academic administrator, businessman, author, and retired politician. A Republican, Daniels served as the 49th governor of Indiana from 2005 to 2013. Since 2013, Daniels has been pr ...
- American politician, former Governor of Indiana (paternal grandfather was from
Qalatiyah)
*
Murray Abraham- American Oscar-winning actor (father was from Muqlus)
*
John X of Antioch
Patriarch John X ( ar, البطريرك يوحنا العاشر ; born Hānī Yāzijī ; January 1, 1955) is primate of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East.
Life
Hani Yazigi, a native ethnic Arab was born in Latakia, Sy ...
-
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch
The patriarch of Antioch is one of the Eastern Orthodox patriarchs, the leader of the autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch. The term "Greek" does not refer to ethnic origin; the majority of these patriarchs were not ethnic Greeks. It r ...
(father is from
Marmarita
Marmarita ( ar, مرمريتا, syc, ܡܪܡܪܝܬܐ, ) is a village in northwestern Syria, located west of Homs. Marmarita is one of the largest villages in Wadi al-Nasara ("Valley of the Christians"), a region north of Talkalakh. In 2004, Marm ...
)
*
Yusuf Al-Khal
Yusuf al-Khal ( ar, يوسف الخال; December 25, 1917 – March 9, 1987) was a Lebanese-Syrian poet, journalist, and publisher. He is considered the greatest exponent of prose poetry (''qaṣīdat al-natr'') as well one of the pioneers ...
- Lebanese-Syrian poet and journalist, pioneer of Arabic surrealist poetry (born in Al-Husn)
*
Teri Hatcher
Teri Lynn Hatcher (born December 8, 1964) is an American actress best known for her portrayals of Lois Lane on the television series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' (1993–1997); Paris Carver in the ''James Bond'' film ''Tomor ...
- American actress (maternal grandfather was from
Safita
Safita ( ar, صَافِيتَا '; phn, 𐤎𐤐𐤕𐤄, ''Sōpūte'') is a city in the Tartous Governorate, northwestern Syria, located to the southeast of Tartous and to the northwest of Krak des Chevaliers. It is situated on the tops of ...
near Wadi al-Nasara)
*
Zerefeh Bashur- first licensed female physician in the Levant (born in Safita)
*
Elissa- Lebanese singer (mother is from Wadi al-Nasara)
*
Nadine Al Rassi- Lebanese actress (mother is from Marmarita)
See also
*
Antiochian Greek Christians
Antiochian Greek Christians (also known as Antiochian Rum (endonym), Rūm) are a Levantine Arabic-speaking ethnoreligious Eastern Christianity, Eastern Christian group residing in the Levant region. They are either members of the Greek Orthodox Chu ...
*
Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch ( el, Ελληνορθόδοξο Πατριαρχείο Αντιοχείας), also known as the Antiochian Orthodox Church and legally as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East ( ar ...
*
Eastern Orthodoxy in Syria
Eastern Orthodoxy in Syria represents Christians in Syria who are adherents of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Eastern Orthodox and 'Greek' Catholic tradition is represented in Syria by two distinct albeit historically and culturally related Byz ...
*
Eastern Orthodoxy in Lebanon
Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christians (Arabic: المسيحية الأرثوذكسية الرومية في لبنان) refers to Lebanese people who are adherents of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch in Lebanon, which is an autocephalous Greek O ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wadi al-Nasara
Valleys of Syria
Greek Orthodoxy in Syria