Deïr Qouzhaïya

I had the privilege of staying here. This is a Maronite monastery. It is named for St. Anthony of Egypt (see other posts), the father of monasticism. This monastery was founded in the 18th century. And this the mother house of the Lebanese Maronites.
The 1st picture is a statue of St. Anthony outside a cave. The 2nd picture is St. Anthony's cave, now a small chapel. The 3rd picture is also in St. Anthony's cave. These are slave irons hanging beging the altar. I'm told they would use them to shackle wildly out of control people (believed at the time to be out of their minds, mentally ill, etc. The priest would pray until the subject was "cured," at which point the chains were removed. He was thus set free from slavery to his or her illness.
The 4th picture is the facade built over the front of the cave holding the church. The 5th picture is the the nave of the church. The last picture is their nativity scene in a small side cave that acts like a large niche or small side chapel. I particularly like the image of the scene in a cave.Read more