Maghdouché
Encyclopedia
Maghdouché is a town in the South Governorate
in Lebanon
. It is located 50 km south of Beirut
and 8 km southeast of Sidon
. The village lies 3 km inland from the Mediterranean, occupying a hill with elevation ranging between 200 to 229 meters above sea level.
and few Maronite Catholics. The population of the town doubles when the expatriates return to spend their summer vacations in their ancestral home.
request and transformed the cave into a sanctuary for the Virgin.
He erected a tower in honor of the Virgin. The tower collapsed during the earthquake of 550. Later, King Louis IX
erected a watching tower in the same location. The Mantara cave was once again discovered accidentally by a shepherd in 1726. An icon of the Virgin was also discovered, and it was of Byzantine style, dating back to the 7th or to the 8th century. Since then, the cave has been transformed into a place of pilgrimage for all the Lebanese confessions. In 1860, the Greek Catholic Church became the owner, and transformed the cave into a sanctuary in 1880.
At the beginning of the sixties, under the auspices of Mgr Basile Khoury, renowned architect Varoujan Zaven designed and executed a beautiful hexagonal chapel topped by a 36-meter tower in a conical shape to support an 8 and a half meter one-piece bronze statue of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus in her arms, of his own design as well, realized by Italian artist Pierrotti in Pietra Santa. The design and supervision of the project were both a donation on behalf of the architect. Our Lady of Mantara
is considered the protectress of children, and many baptisms are celebrated at the sanctuary.
On November 22nd 1986
, the armed conflict between Amal
(Shi'a Muslim militias) and the PLO
(The Palestine Liberation Organization) spread to Maghdouché. Ferocious combats took place in this Christian strategic town. Ultimately, it fell partially in the hands of the Palestinians and its residents were forced to flee from their homes. Maghdouché was destroyed. In 1990, after four years, the resident of Maghdouché returned to the ruins of their village and began rebuilding what was destroyed in the war.
, which is a Marian shrine built (May 16, 1963) , above the cave that is believed to have been the resting place of the Virgin Mary as she waited for Jesus while he preached in Sidon
.
The tower height is 28 m, Statue height: 8.5 m, width: 3.5 m and the weight is 6 Tons
on her 2000 album Jarh AL Habib
titled Maghdouche or Mishtaqit Laki Ya Maghdouche ("I miss you Maghdouche").
In September 2009 Haddad performed the same song in honour of the village while participating in their annual music festival held in the town,the singer's ancestral home.
South Governorate
South Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon. South Lebanon has a population of 500,000 inhabitants and an area of 2,000 km². The capital is Sidon. The lowest elevation is sea-level; the highest is 1,000 meters. The inhabitants are a mixture of Shiites, Sunnis, Orthodox,...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. It is located 50 km south of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and 8 km southeast of Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
. The village lies 3 km inland from the Mediterranean, occupying a hill with elevation ranging between 200 to 229 meters above sea level.
Demographics
Maghdouché has a permanent population of 8,000 inhabitants, the majority of whom are Melkite CatholicsMelkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
and few Maronite Catholics. The population of the town doubles when the expatriates return to spend their summer vacations in their ancestral home.
Economy
Maghdouché's main industry is agriculture. The town produces grapes and citrus fruits, especially oranges. The town is famous for its best quality orange-blossom water. On April 2006, USAID funded a $195,000 cooperative of flower blossom and rose water production center, which will serve more than 950 farmers in the Magdhouche area.History
The name, Maghdouché, originates from the Syriac word, which means "crop collectors." It is also derived from the Syriac word Kidsh and its derivatives (Kadisho, Kadishat, Makdosho). In Hebrew, it means "holy" or "saintly." According to Christian belief, when Jesus came to Sidon, the Virgin Mary who accompanied him, waited for him at the top of the hill where Maghdouché is located today. She spent the night in a cave that came to be known as Mantara, or the "Awaiting." Emperor Constantine the Great responded to St. Hélène'sHelena of Constantinople
Saint Helena also known as Saint Helen, Helena Augusta or Helena of Constantinople was the consort of Emperor Constantius, and the mother of Emperor Constantine I...
request and transformed the cave into a sanctuary for the Virgin.
He erected a tower in honor of the Virgin. The tower collapsed during the earthquake of 550. Later, King Louis IX
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
erected a watching tower in the same location. The Mantara cave was once again discovered accidentally by a shepherd in 1726. An icon of the Virgin was also discovered, and it was of Byzantine style, dating back to the 7th or to the 8th century. Since then, the cave has been transformed into a place of pilgrimage for all the Lebanese confessions. In 1860, the Greek Catholic Church became the owner, and transformed the cave into a sanctuary in 1880.
At the beginning of the sixties, under the auspices of Mgr Basile Khoury, renowned architect Varoujan Zaven designed and executed a beautiful hexagonal chapel topped by a 36-meter tower in a conical shape to support an 8 and a half meter one-piece bronze statue of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus in her arms, of his own design as well, realized by Italian artist Pierrotti in Pietra Santa. The design and supervision of the project were both a donation on behalf of the architect. Our Lady of Mantara
Our Lady of Mantara
Our Lady of Mantara, also known in English as Our Lady of Awaiting, is a holy Christian site and a Marian shrine in the village of Maghdouché in Lebanon...
is considered the protectress of children, and many baptisms are celebrated at the sanctuary.
On November 22nd 1986
War of the camps
The War of the Camps was a subconflict within the 1984–89 phase of the Lebanese Civil War, in which Palestinian refugee camps were besieged by the Shi'ite Amal militia....
, the armed conflict between Amal
Amal Movement
Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa...
(Shi'a Muslim militias) and the PLO
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
(The Palestine Liberation Organization) spread to Maghdouché. Ferocious combats took place in this Christian strategic town. Ultimately, it fell partially in the hands of the Palestinians and its residents were forced to flee from their homes. Maghdouché was destroyed. In 1990, after four years, the resident of Maghdouché returned to the ruins of their village and began rebuilding what was destroyed in the war.
Main sights
Maghdouché's most famous landmark is the tower of Our Lady of MantaraOur Lady of Mantara
Our Lady of Mantara, also known in English as Our Lady of Awaiting, is a holy Christian site and a Marian shrine in the village of Maghdouché in Lebanon...
, which is a Marian shrine built (May 16, 1963) , above the cave that is believed to have been the resting place of the Virgin Mary as she waited for Jesus while he preached in Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
.
The tower height is 28 m, Statue height: 8.5 m, width: 3.5 m and the weight is 6 Tons
Popular culture
A tribute to the town was sung by Lebanese singer Diana HaddadDiana Haddad
Diana Joseph Fouad Haddad is a Lebanese singer and television personality with Emirati citizenship. Mainly known as Diana Haddad, she is one of the most popular and successful singers in the Arab World and has been so since the late 1990s...
on her 2000 album Jarh AL Habib
Jarh AL Habib
Diana Haddad released her sixth album Jarh Al-Habib in the summer of 2000. Jarh El-Habeeb featured a slow-themed love song "Ba´ali Zaman" and a fast paced anthem "Mani Mani".-Track listing:# Mani Mani [Bedouin Arabic]...
titled Maghdouche or Mishtaqit Laki Ya Maghdouche ("I miss you Maghdouche").
In September 2009 Haddad performed the same song in honour of the village while participating in their annual music festival held in the town,the singer's ancestral home.