The incredible Christian history of Yanouh - Lebanon

Yanouh's Christian Basilica of the 5th Century

At Yanouh in the heart of the Lebanese mountains, the first Christian Basilica dates back to the end of the 5th century. Yanouh's Basilica architecture was made of three naves separated by columns, a baptistery and a protruding semicircular apse. The floor was paved with flagstones.
The below picture shows the remains as found nowadays. Locals say a project to reconstruct the Basilica could see the light within the next few years.

The Basilica is part of a wider Roman site at an altitude of 1200m expanding from Byblos into the heights of the Lebanese mountains and Nahr Ibrahim's upper valley.
The site of Yanouh contains various temples and buildings of the 2nd century B.C. and up to the 12th and 13th centuries. But Yanouh remains most known for being the ancient Maronite Patriarchate of the Early Middle Ages.

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Yanouh's Maronite Patriarchate 

Cross the road from the Roman site, and you will find The Church of our Lady Mother of God which was completely reconstructed in 2017.
It is more than a church however...

Here's a brief history of Yanouh's Maronite Patriarchate:

​Saint Maroun (also Saint Maron, died 410 AD), founder of the Maronite Church, sent his disciple Ibrahim to Mount Lebanon to preach the Gospel. Ibrahim settled in Joubbat Al-Mnaitri and became the Bishop of Kouroche, known as Ibrahim Al-Kouroshi.
He succeeded in his mission and founded a large Maronite community.

The Bishop then built the Church of our Lady Mother of God in Yanouh, at the center of Joubbat Al-Mnaitri, with the help of builders coming from Antioch.
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When the fourth Maronite Patriarch Jean-Maroun II was elected, he could not throne in Antioch due to the persecution of Christians; he then settled in Yanouh between a strong community of some 5,000 believers. He lived in Yanouh's Church of our Lady Mother of God and Saint George church that was built by Emperor Constantine over a roman temple.
The Church of our Lady Mother of God became then the Maronite Patriarchate and remained as such during 500 years. The consecutive Patriarchs succeeded in building good relations with the West and Rome. The Popes asserted Yanouh as the seat of the Maronite Patriarchate.

The architecture is typically  Phoenician Antiochian and Syriac with the existence of an altar, a nave, an apse, the Bishop throne and its bema (bima).

Original Christian cross as found on a stone and used as is during the reconstruction of the church of Yanouh:

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A little escapade to the nearby "Saidet Al Habs"

At a 10-minute drive from Yanouh, you can visit the Lady of "Habs" site which is located at the beginning of the village of Akoura.
The Virgin Mary statue was airlifted by a Lebanese army chopper and is accessible by walking on a small footpath from Akoura. but it is more interesting to climb the thousand steps stair from the road between Mejdel Akoura and Akoura.

There are two statues that can be visited when following the suggested trail, the old "Saydet El Habs" Virgin Mary statue placed on a balcony and accessible to all after a few hundred steps (picture to the left) and the newer one, with the Virgin Mary holding Jesus on its shoulders and that needs a further effort to climb the stairs of several hundreds steps.
The stairs are like part of the cliff and offer a breathtaking view and experience.
The steps are uneven and of unequal height which adds more fun to the climbing adventure.

A breathtaking view from Saidet Al Habs on Akoura's picturesque village, its numerous irrigation ponds, and the superb upper Nahr Ibrahim valley.

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Yanouh's Apples and Wine...

Akoura is famous for its red apples which you can buy locally if you're visiting in September and the same extends down to Yanouh. 
A wine tasting at Chateau Wadih is perfect for ending this Christian history trip and for remembering Jesus first miracle in the Southern village of Cana in Lebanon when he turned water into wine during a wedding. 
I hope you enjoyed reading and discovering Yanouh.
Cheers!

An apple tree and a walnut tree as seen nearby the Church of our Lady Mother of God:

Chateau Wadih's caves:

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