A Syrian hermit who became a figurehead of Lebanon’s Maronite Catholic Church is being celebrated, amid hopes of political stability in the country with the appointment of the first fixed government in three years. Source: The New Arab.
St Maron or Maroun, who the Church is named after, was a Syriac-speaking Christian ascetic who lived an austere life in the Taurus Mountains, devoted to fasting and prayer, where he gained a loyal following.
After his death in 410 CE his followers began a movement venerating the figure, which became the Maronite Church, one of the dominant faiths in Lebanon.
In Australia, the country’s sizable Lebanese diaspora celebrated St Maroun’s feast day in churches across the country.
“As we celebrate this Year of Hope with joy and anticipation, we are reminded that our Maronite Church is not only rooted in history but alive in the present, vibrant with faith, and full of hope for the future,” wrote Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, the 4th Maronite Bishop of Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania.
“May this Jubilee be a time of spiritual growth, renewal, and commitment for us all. Let us grow in holiness and, through our lives, bring hope to the world around us.”
The feast day coincided with the appointment of the first permanent government in Beirut since May 2022, with hopes that President Joseph Aoun, himself a Maronite Christian, can guide the country toward stability following fighting between Hezbollah and Israel in the south of the country.
“President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have arrived at the Maronite Cathedral of St George in downtown Beirut to celebrate the feast of St Maroun, after an absence of two years due to the presidential vacuum,” Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.
Newspapers in Lebanon suspended publication to mark the feast day, while public institutions also closed.
The celebrations also coincide with a truce in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.
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Mar Maroun: Who is the Syrian saint Lebanese Christians celebrated this weekend? (The New Arab)
RELATED COVERAGE
The Feast of Saint Maroun (Maronites)
