The word Kfar, and words derived from it, such as
Kafar, indicate village, agglomeration or even fortress,
and is very common throughout Lebanon. Kfar Hay
in particular lies in the district of Batroun the
governorate of North Lebanon.
Batroun is the district of Lebanon which suffered
most in 1916 during the First World War, when more
than two-thirds of its inhabitants emigrated, were
killed, or died as a result of the famine. Several
villages were completely emptied and those of the
inhabitants who had some strength fled in the direction
of Tripoli. The paths and alleyways were lined with
corpses. This was the region where the greatest
saints of Lebanon had lived.
To get to Kfar Hay, there are several routes starting
from Batroun city which are available, such as the
highroad passing through Ibrine. One can go from
Byblos through Rashana-Kfifane and if one is coming
from the North through Koura, one can pass through
Kaftoun.
Kfar Hay is just over forty miles from the Lebanese
capital Beirut and lies at an average height of
about 1,200 feet above sea-level. The village is
very pleasant to look at with church and fine residences,
but the center of interest which attracts the eye
is the historic monastery of Saint John Maroun.
This was rebuilt during the seventh century A.D.
by the first Maronite Patriarch, Saint John Maroun,
in order to revive the site after the previous monastery
had been destroyed and the monks in it all killed.
After being elected Patriarch in 685 A.D., Saint
John Maroun made the monastery the seat of his patriarchate.
The skull of Saint John Maroun was brought there,
and the monastery was then named after Saint Maroun
rather than Monastery of the Head of Saint Maroun.
This most precious relic contributed to the development
of the monastery, to the increase of the number
of monks, to its prosperity and its wealth, and
to further development during the time of the Crusades.
It was here that the Maronite leaders held their
assemblies.
Under Ottoman occupation, the monastery was several
times plundered, set on fire, invaded and destroyed.
But every time it was afterwards restored and continued
to spread its activity and influence. It became
a national center of civilization, especially with
the return of monks from Europe bringing with them
a renewal of culture, knowledge, and study, and
revolutionary ideas.
Towards the end of the eighteenth-century Patriarch
Youssef Stephan ordered the complete reconstruction
of the monastery. Everything that had been destroyed
was restored and the monastery was renamed Monastery
of Saint John Maroun instead of Rish Maroun (Rish
in Syriac meaning head.).
In 1812 the assembly of the Patriarchal Synod, presided
by Patriarch Yuhanna el-Helou, decreed the transformation
of the monastery into a seminary for the formation
of future vocations. Under Bishop Yussef Freifer,
1872-1889, the school was enlarged to allow the
reception of lay students. The school was expanding
vigorously, and the Consul of France, resident in
Tripoli, came at the end of every year to attend
the ceremonies of the seminary school.
The school continued its ascension particularly
under the management of Monsignor Butros Arsanios,
1889-1909. Its doors were closed during World War
I but were opened for the benefit of the poor and
the indigent of the whole region. Thousands of meals
were offered to the famished and needy, irrespective
of religion.
The scholastic and cultural activities were resumed
after the war under the direction of Bishop Elias
Shedeed, but only with difficulty since the region
had been stripped of its inhabitants. The school
was turned into a seminary for the formation of
new vocations and finally closed for good after
forming 250 priests.
Several eminent orientalists and eminent personages
have visited the monastery and have meditated in
front of the relics of Saint Maroun. In 1420 Bishop
de Foligno in Italy ordered the transfer of the
relic to his own cathedral, where it was venerated.
On January 18th, 2000therelic was returned to Lebanon,
where it was triumphantly received by an immense
crowd of the faithful before being exposed in the
monastery church. The Papal Nuncio, patriarchs ambassadors,
ministers and VIPs of every description attended
the event.
The whole region is well worth a visit, but especially
so is the monastery with its museum, where one should
pray and meditate. The Maronite Church is a universal
Church in values, culture, faith humanism, and love
of God and of all mankind. It prays for peace in
the world and lives according to the commandments
of God and of the Church in this Lebanon of ours,
country of love, of welcome, respect of values,
exchange between the nations, pacific coexistence,
justice and peace.
Joseph Matar - Translation from the French:
Kenneth Mortimer
Children’s
SOS Villages
SOS, standing for Save Our Souls, is the
well known distress signal and is used for any call
for help. Ships in trouble at sea, wanderers lost
in the desert, and victims of accidents, all make
use of it. But since 1999 SOS no longer has any
meaning; for the whole world has become one small
family and communication has become immediate and
direct.
The expression Children’s SOS Villages has taken
on a symbolic and social meaning – Save Our Society!
The organization helps orphans, abandoned children,
those who risk losing all parental care, and those
who are deprived of all protection.
Four SOC Villages have been founded in Lebanon.
The first was laid down in 1969 at Bhersaf in the
Central Lebanese Mountains, the second in1981 at
Sfarey in the South, the third in 1995 in Kfarhay
in North Lebanon, and the fourth in 2006 at Ksarnaba
in the Beqaa Valley. The purpose of these Children’s
SOS Villages is to ensure for the children a substitute
family up to the age when they can look after themselves.
They are provided with a mother, a good education,
a family atmosphere, and help to integrate themselves
into society; they are helped to find work and to
become independent, with a better future ahead.
Children are accepted into a family and home from
birth up to the age of ten.
In Lebanon, such institutions receive both help
and encouragement, for the Lebanese have a philanthropic
nature and like to help those who are in need. This
character is part of their tradition, indeed of
their very civilization. Their missions, their schools,
their media, their humanitarian foundations, their
active presence, are to be found everywhere abroad,
and especially at home.
In the Children’s SOS villages there is no discrimination
of origin, religion or political party. Here, as
the sainted Father Yaacoub used to say, suffering
and hardship unite us. Before God, we are all equal.
Children’s SOS Villages are helped by benefactors,
by a program of sponsorship, and by various individual
and group initiatives. Since 1986 there has been
a center of family support to help widowed mothers
so they need not abandon their children, and to
help them in every way to lead a decent and permanently
independent life. There is even a workshop for handcrafts
in which widowed mothers work in order to enhance
their skills and obtain steady financial independence.
With such support, every family is self-sufficient
and economically secure.
To help the Children’s SOS Villages one may adopt
one or several children or an SOS family, or even
a whole village. Gifts in kind are another way of
helping the four Villages. For an online donation
or a bank draft, would-be donors may visit the website.
For their gifts they may encourage the handcraft
workshop’s family support program by buying its
handmade goods. Finally, it should be noted that
the association of Children’s SOS Villages is totally
independent, nonpolitical, and without religious
attachment.
Joseph Matar – Marina Matar – William Matar
Translation from the French: Kenneth J. Mortimer
- Monastery Kfarhay: >> View
Movie << (2018-03-22)
- Children’s SOS Villages: >> View
Movie << (2018-09-26)
