Traveling in Lebanon
St. Charbel’s Monastery & Shrine
Ajata and Virginia visited St. Charbel’s shrine on Palm Sunday, then climbed the hill to see the cave where St. Charbel had
also prayed regularly.
This cave has been incorporated into a small hermitage which for Palm Sunday overflowed so that the congregation spread
onto the outside courtyard overlooking snow covered peaks. The mass was conducted by both a priest and a women
reading passages of scripture. (This style of mass we also found at the Church in Byblos mentioned below.)
See all photos of the St. Charbel Shrine: EmbraceSacredPlaces.Org
Byblos
Later on Palm Sunday the Embrace Founders went to “Old” Byblos and happened upon two beautiful churches with a
grass lawn and gardens between. Congregants were having refreshments and talking while music came alternately from
one church and then the other, sometimes a solo singer, sometimes a guitar and sometimes a chorus. When all mass and
music were finished a parade with flags proceeded through the cobbled streets.
Byblos also has ruins which have attracted tourists for decades.
Tyre
Tyre has extensive ancient ruins and ocean views. Most importantly everyone in the city is trying to rebuild together and
design a downtown that will be quite captivating once totally completed. Even now it has quite a charm.
Beirut
Beirut is a walking city. It has an extensive and fast bus system, and good natured bus drivers, but with all there is to see in
Beirut - visitors will be compelled to investigate a lot from street level. You can walk for hours on the Corniche (a widely
paved sidewalk) along the ocean through different neighborhoods for miles. The reconstruction of the downtown district is
exceptional. It is elegant and built on a human scale with architecture that is classical, comfortable and beautiful. Mosques
and Churches sit side by side and are woven between flowered landscaping. There are many, many more intriguing
neighborhoods. There is no where you can not walk safely (at least in the day time.)
We have been greatly heartened to see that Lebanese of all backgrounds are taking their grievances to the common
ground, for discussion and debate, whether by demonstrating, writing or discussing. There is real dialogue going on and we
feel that it is only getting better.
Currently there is a small scale disturbance between Syrians of opposing sides of the Syrian conflict living north in Tripoli,
Lebanon. The Embrace Founders met Syrians of opposing views on the conflict, however the question remains - who
perpetrated the first shots that instigated the violence? Was it the Syrian army, Libyan mercenaries or intelligence
operatives seeking to ignite a situation for the benefit of Western interests? Who gains the most by initiating the violence?
Looking towards the future of Beirut and Lebanon, we hope that city planners will be able to stem the growth of high rises in
Beirut’s small downtown area, utilizing some of Lebanon’s vast creative talent, idealists, artists and conservationists to
incorporate greenbelts, city parks within “greater” Beirut - and city parks and national parks between Beirut and Byblos.
Transportation:
Within Lebanon there seem to be regular buses and mini vans everywhere. Ajata and Virginia make it a point, while traveling
to avail themselves as often as possible with public transportation. There are also taxis. To get to St. Charbel requires a
bus trip to Byblos and a mini van from Byblos (they are frequent & easy to catch) up the mountains.
Embrace Foundation is a non-profit,
educational foundation set up to create
better understanding between people of
different religions, cultures, traditions and
world philosophies.
Embrace Foundation works to bring leaders
and scholars of world-wide religions,
cultures and philosophies together by
sponsoring forums, seminars, lectures and
developing an international exchange
program. Embrace Foundation is particularly
concerned with reaching the world public
through the media.
Purpose
Donations
Embrace Foundation is an all volunteer
organization. All donations go directly to
programs.
Embrace Foundation does not and has
never given permission to any outside
organization to solicit or receive
contributions on our behalf.
All donations should be made to Embrace
Foundation only via Paypal or by mail. All
donations are tax deductible. A receipt will
be emailed to you. Please click on the Pay
Pal link below to Donate.
Embrace Humanity
Thank you for making a donation.
Embrace Foundation Retreat Center
Embrace.Foundation (skype messaging) - 011+1+212.675.4500 (New York)
Click to Email Us
Embrace Foundation International
- Great Visions TV
- Inspirations
- Media
- Possibilities
- Astrophysics, Quantum Physics & The Nature of Reality
- Deconstructing Nuclear Fission & Nuclear Waste
- Defense Industry as Community Builders
- Defense Industry As Energy Providers
- Global Water Shortages
- Innovative Technology
- Intelligent Communities & Development
- Pentagon & Non-Western Nations
- Recreating
- Resource Based Population
- Sharing Community Resources
- Protecting Human Rights
- Spiritual Ecology
- Syria
- Write to Us