Qozhaya ( syr, ܕܝܪܐ ܕܡܪܝ ܐܢܛܘܢܝܘܣ ܩܘܙܚܝܐ, ar, دير مار أنطونيوس قزحيا), also transliterated Qazahya is located in the
Zgharta District in the
North Governorate
North Governorate ( ar, الشمال, ') (Lebanese pr. ''eš šmél'') (French: Gouvernorat du Liban-Nord) is one of the governorates of Lebanon. Its capital is Tripoli. Ramzi Nohra has been its governor since May 2, 2014. The population of North ...
of
Lebanon. It belongs to the Lebanese
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 larges ...
Order known as
Baladites.
Monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya
It is dedicated to Saint
Anthony the Great. It is commonly called Qozhaya, in reference to the valley in which it is located. The valley of Qozhaya, along with the valley of Qannoubine (
Arabic: قنوبين) to which it is connected to the west, form what is called the valley of
Qadisha
Kadisha Valley ( ar, وادي قاديشا), also romanized as the Qadisha Valley and also known as the Kadisha Gorge or Wadi Kadisha (french: Ouadi Qadisha), is a gorge that lies within the Bsharri and Zgharta Districts of the North Governorat ...
.
Etymology
The etymology of the name Qozhaya varies according to the opinions of scholars. However, in recent years the
Syriac origin was most commonly adopted, and approximately translates to ''the treasure of life''.
History
Qozhaya is considered to be one of the oldest monasteries of the valley of
Qadisha
Kadisha Valley ( ar, وادي قاديشا), also romanized as the Qadisha Valley and also known as the Kadisha Gorge or Wadi Kadisha (french: Ouadi Qadisha), is a gorge that lies within the Bsharri and Zgharta Districts of the North Governorat ...
. Several hermitages are attached to it and at a certain period (probably the 12th Century AD), it has been the See of the
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 larges ...
Patriarch. In 1584, the first non-Jewish
printing press of the
Middle East, and third overall, was installed in this monastery.
In 1610, The press printed a bilingual Psalter in a small folio of 260 pages. The psalms are arranged in two columns, on the right is the text in
Syriac and on the left in Arabic, but written in Syriac letters, which is known as
Garshuni Garshuni or Karshuni ( Syriac alphabet: , Arabic alphabet: ) are Arabic writings using the Syriac alphabet. The word "Garshuni", derived from the word "grasha" which literally translates as "pulling", was used by George Kiraz to coin the term "gars ...
.
In 1708, it was handed down to the newly formed Lebanese Maronite Order. It still belongs to this important Order. Qozhaya was at its pinnacle in the first part of the 19th Century with more than 300 monks belonging to it.
With its large properties in the valley, in Ain-Baqra and in Jedaydeh, Qozhaya is one of the richest monasteries of the Order. It contributes financially to the maintenance of the less fortunate monasteries of the Order.
What to see
* The Grotto of Saint Anthony the Great
* The Church
* The Museum
* The Library
* The Hermitage of Mar Boula
References
External links
The official site of the Monastery of QozhayaEhden Family Tree
{{Maronite Church
Maronite monasteries in Lebanon
Populated places in the North Governorate
Zgharta District
4th-century establishments in the Byzantine Empire
