Lebanon In the Sacred Land
"Lebanon is part of the Holy Land; going to Lebanon is a mission for every Christian," Pope John Paul II once said.
To make a Journey into biblical history, there is no place like Lebanon - land of amber and incense; land of milk and honey as chanted in the glorious hymns of the Bible.
It is the land of majestic cedars sent by King Hiram of Tyre and chosen by King Solomon to build the temple in Jerusalem.
It is the land of Baal and the Phoenicians gods.
It is the land of Byblos where the Phoenicians created the alphabet.
It is the land of the Roman temples of Bacchus and Jupiter in Baalbeck.
It is the land sanctified by the footsteps of Christ as he trod from Tyre to Sidon, passing by Cana where he attended the wedding.
It is the spiritual land of the Maronite community, the refuge of the persecuted Eastern Churches, and the safe haven for oppressed Muslim sects.
It is a sacred land where our Lord walked preached and performed his first miracle. In Tyre you can envision Christ as he preached to the multitudes.
In Byblos, you can look out at the sea from the very coast where Saint Paul set sail for Rome to preach the gospel. In Annaya you can visit the tomb of the honorable body of Saint Charbel, or you can visit Bqaa Kafra, his birthplace and pray among the pilgrims.
You can make a pilgrimage to the Holy Valley of Qadisha filled with prehistoric caves and rock shelters of different Christian communities, mainly the Maronites.
In Lebanon, you may meet a hermit of the Lebanese Maronite Order of Monks, or a Greek Orthodox, a Melkite, a Syriac, an Armenian, a Coptic or a Chaldean priest. You might also meet a Protestant pastor and get to pray with one of them in one of their many sanctuaries.
Throughout Lebanon, you will find yourself reliving great moments of the past as you stand on the ancient sites of once flourishing empires that left their mark on this land. The Canaanites, the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the Crusaders and the Ottomans were all present in this land.
Come and see the splendor of ancient Lebanon whether in response to a religious pilgrim, vacationer, archeologist, athlete, or adventurer.
A special call goes out to the young people of Lebanese origin who have never visited Lebanon and know little about its history. Come and fulfill your desire to know more about the land of your courageous ancestors, those pioneers of Lebanese emigrants who traveled the four corners of the world, who excelled in all walks of life and were the source of great pride to the people in Lebanon.
In visiting the land of the Cedars, the land of Gibran Khalil Gibran, you will be returning to the origins of civilization. Each of you will find a part of their heritage engraved in rock or hidden among the ruins that cling to the verdant slopes of the magnificent mountains.
Come for a once in a lifetime discovery of the unique living tradition that is Lebanon - the splendors of its ancient past and the comforts and pleasures of its modern age.
Lebanon may be a small country, but it embraces the entire world with its universal message of love and tolerance, as a living model of coexistence for all mankind. Come to Lebanon and give its people the opportunity to receive you with open arms and heart.
