26 km far from Beirut, overlooking the bay of Jounieh,
the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon - Harissa, which
was erected in 1904 over the hill of Harissa, can
be seen from miles. Inside the base of the statue
there is a chapel and outside, a spiral staircase
leads to the top. Near the white-painted bronze statue,
this was made in Lyon - France and brought to Lebanon
and installed in 1908.
The idea of building the sanctuary in Harissa came
50 years after the declaration of Pope Pie IX (in
December 8, 1854), about Immaculate Conception. And
after many negotiations with bishops, priest and prominent
citizens, “the Rock” in Harissa was chosen
to host the sanctuary.
The inauguration was solemnly celebrated on the first
Sunday of May 1908, and many devoted people came from
different places. Since then, Harissa, one small village,
became a very important Christian site. The name of
“Our Lady of Lebanon” has went beyond
frontiers and has reached overseas, attracting tourists
from different religions and beliefs who come each
year to show worship and piety. During the 1970s,
a Basilica, designed in the style of a Cedar tree
and a Phoenician ship, was built to contain thousands
of persons and since 1991, great celebrations start
taking place in it.
Similar statues of the Lady of Lebanon were built
in other countries such as the United States of America,
Canada, Argentine, Australia, Brazil, Europe, South
Africa and others.
The road of Mary is one of the most important events
ever occurred in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon.
An historical event during which the statue of the
Virgin Mary passed by all the Lebanese regions visiting
more than 426 villages and towns, in 1954, the year
of St Mary and the one hundred anniversary of the
proclamation of the immaculate conception. On the
last Sunday of May 1954, the statue of the Virgin
“Mother of light” was blessed in Bkerke
than transported to Harissa in the middle of prayers.
To welcome the statue thousands of people, coming
from Lebanon and from abroad, kept coming to Harissa
all night long. After a two-hour walk, the statue
arrived to Harissa where a huge crowd was waiting
for, sitting between the Church of Our Lady and the
Pope Embassy.
Since the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon was erected
on the top of Harissa, visitors come from the whole
world and from different religions and beliefs. The
most important event was especially the visit of the
Pope John Paul II in May 1997. Coming from the Pope
Embassy he entered the Basilica and saluted the handicapped
people in the front than he went outside were 150.000
people gathered waiting for him. Then his holiness
addressed a message to the Lebanese youth. Thousands
of visitors come everyday to Harissa, especially in
feasts and remarkable events like to welcome the relic
of St Therese in October 2002 and when the sanctuary
received the statue of the virgin of Fatima in August
2003.
For that, Harissa will always remain a place of holiness
and reverence.
- Virgin Mary, Harissa: >> View
Movie << (2005-09-01)
- Virgin Mary, Harissa: >> View
Movie << (2011-03-15)
- Harissa - Cathedral: >> View
Movie << (2015-03-15)
