Lebanon Travel Diary - Day 6

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bechwat is a very special place: many miracles have happened here in the last 22 years. When nine-year-old Muhammad, a Muslim child from Jordan, prayed before the statue of Our Lady of Bechwat in 2004, the first of many miracles occurred, the statue smiled at the boy, and several others also saw it move and bless them. In the months that followed, worshippers at the shrine experienced countless healings.

The statue of Our Lady of Bechwat.

We also visited the Brothers of Beit Maroun, a Maronite Catholic monastic community founded less than a decade ago in Deir El-Ahmar. They are 23 young men, mostly in their twenties and thirties.

Brother John Maroun told me that they are “inspired by the mission and resilience of early Maronite monks” – and their countenances radiate so much joy and peace. Like St Maroun and his followers in the fourth and fifth centuries, the Brothers built their monastery with their own hands, with minimal outside help. ACN has funded their formation and health insurance.

Amy Balog from ACN (UK) with three of the Brothers of Beit Maroun.

Brother John Maroun and Brother John Paul were born in Sydney, Australia to Lebanese parents. Discerning a vocation to the monastic life, these two, unrelated young men returned to their ancestral homeland to join this community. Brother John Maroun trained as an engineer and Brother John Paul as an architect, so their knowledge and skills were very helpful in the planning and construction of the monastery.

With so many young people leaving Lebanon, it was a beautiful sign of hope to meet a few of those who have chosen to return.