The Monastery of Saint Maron (Syriac: ''Deir Mar Maroun''), also called the Cave of the monks, is an ancient cavern initially developed as a refuge structure by the Romans and later used as a

Maronite The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the lar ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

and carved out of solid rock in the side of a cliff. It is located around from

Ain ez Zarqa Ain ez Zarqa (also spelled Ayn ez Zarqa or Ain-el-Zerqa) is a natural artesian karst spring located south of Hermel in the Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. Producing an average of 3,435 gallons per second, it is the main source of the Orontes River. B ...

, the source of the

Orontes river The Orontes (; from Ancient Greek , ) or Asi ( ar, العاصي, , ; tr, Asi) is a river with a length of in Western Asia that begins in Lebanon, flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea near Samandağ in Turkey. A ...

, south of Hermel in Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, northern

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 lie ...

.al-Fakih, Rakan., Mar Maroun monastery restoration undeterred, The Daily Star (Lebanon, 2012-01-11.
()

History

The cavern is situated above the river. It consists of three levels with rock stairways, numerous altars, and small cells, suggested to have been the residence of Saint Maron and his early followers in the fourth century CE, during the foundation of the

Maronite Church The Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic ''sui iuris'' particular church in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Th ...

. It is suggested that Maron worked and even died in the monastery. Later occupation in

Mamluk Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...

and

Ottoman empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

periods is attested by loopholes cut into the walls. The monastery is commonly thought to have been constructed by Romans, however the date, builders and origins of the structure are not certain. The structure has fallen into disrepair, having been used as shelter for

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticate ...

goats The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of th ...

, and the occasional

shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' ' herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, ...

over the years. The cavern is located on land owned by the Ministry of Energy and Water of Lebanon, but has been the subject of an ongoing dispute between the Maronite Archdiocese and the Dandash family, who stakes an old claim on the land. The Maronite Archdiocese has retained rights to renovate the landmark and has stated intentions to begin a restoration project. The site has only reported to have been cleaned and no work has started on the monument, suggested to be of ''"national"'' importance. It is noteworthy to pinpoint that historians Della Volpe and D'Ambrosio think that the structure built by the Romans in the second century was not a refuge but a defense fortification of the fertile Beqaa valley (colonised by Roman veterans in Pagus Augusti and in Heliopolis) against the Persian attacks from the north. It is suggested that Maron worked there (with many disciples, including: James of Cyrrhus, Limnaeus, Domnina, Cyra, Marana, Abraham the Hermit) and even died in the monastery. Even if greatly damaged during Arab conquest of the region, later occupation in

and

, and the occasional

over the years.

Restoration

The cavern is located on land owned by the Ministry of Energy and Water of Lebanon, but has been the subject of an ongoing dispute between the ''Maronite Archdiocese'' and the Dandash family, who stakes an old claim on the land. The Maronite Archdiocese has retained rights to renovate the landmark and has stated intentions to begin a restoration project. The site has only reported to have been cleaned and no work has started on the monument, even if suggested to be of national importance.

References

External links

Deir Mar Maroun on satelliteviews.net

Caves of "Raheb" on discoverlebanon.com

Deir Mar Maroun on the Megalithic Portal

Deir Mar Maroun Dispute - LBC News on YouTube

3D Google Map of Deir Mar Maroun on gmap3d.com

Deir Mar Maroun photo

Deir Mar Maroun photo
{{Roman Archaeological sites in Beirut & Lebanon Hermel District Archaeological sites in Lebanon Beqaa Valley Roman sites in Lebanon Ancient Roman architecture Maronite monasteries in Lebanon Cave monasteries

History

Restoration

See also

References

External links