Friends of Lebanon Pilgrimage to Lebanon 2022

Friends of Lebanon presents Pilgrimage to Lebanon

Pilgrimage to Lebanon September 17-25, 2022

Qadisha Valley (Holy Valley) 3 nights Beirut 5 nights

Day 1: Saturday, September 17, 2022 • Arrive to Beirut • Private transfer to Hilton Grand Hotel (you will be met upon exiting the secured area) • Immediately check into the Hilton Grand Hotel to rest • Welcome dinner at the Hilton Grand overlooking Beirut • Meet Aya and George: Directors of Friends of Lebanon Project in Lebanon • Urbi et Orbi Communications representatives will be with you the entire pilgrimage — from arrival to departure: Deborah Tomlinson, Executive Director Christopher Hart-Moynihan, Director of Projects Tony Assaf, Consultant on the Friends of Lebanon Project Robert Moynihan, President (may not attend entire pilgrimage)

View from Hilton Grand Hotel, Beirut

These 2 photos are videos that will not play in the PDF

Dining Room: Hilton Grand Hotel, Beirut

Day 2: Sunday, September 18, 2022 • Breakfast at the Hilton Grand Hotel • Meet Friends of Lebanon grantees • Attend Sunday Liturgy - place to be determined • Depart the Belmont Hotel in the Qadisha Valley - 60 miles ~ 2 hour drive • Visit St. Anthony Monastery in the Qadisha Valley The Monastery of St. Anthony is the birth place of the first printing press in the Middle East. Some historians believe it was built in 1584. Its first printed text is The Book of Psalms. It dates back to 1610. The Lebanese Maronite Order renovated the printing press at the start of the nineteenth century. Its activities were halted at the beginning of the 1860 war. It resumed printing in 1871, but stopped again at the beginning of World War II.

Our Lady of the Fortress, Qadisha Valley

• Dinner in the center of Ehden, Lebanon

Breakfast at the Hilton Grand Hotel, Beirut Video will not play in the PDF version

• Visit to Our Lady of the Fortress to watch to sunset. On a clear evening you can see the northern part of Lebanon to include the coastline of Lebanon and even Syria and its coastline.

View from Our Lady of the Fortress, Qadisha Valley

Day 3: Monday, September 19, 2022

Day 4: Tuesday, September 20, 2022

We will spend 2.5 days in the Qadisha (Holy)Valley where we will visit many holy sites and encounter many people in the area, including monks and hermits.

Lebanon is among the oldest sites of wine production in the world. Tony Assaf will introduce us to his friend who owns a winery in this region. We will have dinner at this vineyard and taste wine of this ancient land.

St. Anthony Monastery, Qadisha Valley

Qadisha Valley

Qadisha Valley (The Holy Valley) The Qadisha Valley cradles centuries of Christian monasticism and the roots of the Maronite church in Lebanon, which date back to the 4th century.

According to Unesco: “The Qadisha valley is one of the most important early Christian monastic settlements in the world.”

Qadisha Valley (Holy Valley) Hotel Belmont

St. Serge Monastery

St. Anthony Monastery

Gibran Museum Ehden, Lebanon

St. Elias Monastery

St. Charbel’s House & Grotto

Cedars of Lebanon

Qadisha Valley (The Holy Valley)

St. Saba Basilica, Bcharre St. Anthony Monastery

St Elias Monastery Hotel Belmont, Ehden

Qadisha Valley (The Holy Valley)

St. Charbel’s House

St. Serge Monastery

The Cedars of God: Horsh Arz el-Rab The cedars in Lebanon are mentioned in the Bible 103 times. One quote from Ezekiel:

“Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs”

Khalil Gibran Museum Khalil Gibran was born in Bsharre, in the Qadisha Valley.

His coffin rests in the hermitage which is part of the museum.

Views from the museum “Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls” – Khalil Gibran, The Prophet (1923)

Day 5: Wednesday, September 21, 2022 • Depart the Qadisha Valley for Beirut. On our way we will visit: Monastery of St. Hardidi (1808 - 1858) — a Maronite monk, priest and scholar. He is best known for being the master of St. Charbel Monastery of St. Rafca (1832-1914) –– a Maronite nun canonized in 2001 by St. John Paul II. She was known for sharing in the suffering of Christ by offering her own suffering of blindness and paralysis to Christ • Lunch in the center of the ancient, sea-side city of Byblos –– one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the world. The name Byblos is Greek; papyrus received its early Greek name (byblos, byblinos) from its being exported to the Aegean Sea through Byblos. Hence the English Word Bible is derived from byblos as “the (papyrus) book. After lunch, we will walk around this ancient city before heading to Beirut

Byblos, Lebanon, the center

Byblos, Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea

Day 6: Thursday, September 22, 2022 • •

Breakfast on the 32nd floor overlooking Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea - relaxing morning Today, we will visit: Downtown Beirut: Nejmeh Square –– the central square with the famous clock tower built by the Ottomans; Martyr’s Square –– a rich history and home to the bullet-holes martyr’s statue, art exhibits can be found on many days; Solidere District — The French Mandate historic city, which was destroyed during the civil war, was recently renovated and transformed into a chic high-end shopping and cafe quarter The many cathedrals in downtown Beirut –– St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, St. George Maronite Cathedral, and St Elias Melkite Greek Catholic Cathedral Beirut Port –– site of the August 4, 2020 explosion Lunch in the old city of Beirut Boat tour of the famous Jeita Grotto

Downtown Beirut

Nejmeh Square

Jeita Grotto

Day 7: Friday, September 23, 2022 • •

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Breakfast on the 32nd floor overlooking Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea Today, we will travel a short distance up the mountain to Harissa which overlooks Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea to visit: St Paul’s Greek Melkite Basilica Our Lady of Lebanon Visit the Monastery of Our Lady of Bkerké which is the See of the Maronite Patriarchate (the Vatican of Lebanon). Here, we will pray the rosary with Patriarch Rai, the Patriarch of the Maronite Catholics, after which we meet with him personally Dinner at Mounir overlooking Beirut. Mounir is considered by many to be the best Lebanese restaurant in all of Lebanon

St. Paul’s Greek Melkite Basilica

Our Lady of Lebanon

Driving into Bkerké (just passed security)

Day 8: Saturday, September 24, 2022 • •

Breakfast on the 32nd floor overlooking Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea Today, we will travel about an hour north to visit a miracle-working saint — St Charbel (1828-1898) The Monastery of St. Maroun and pray at the Tomb of St. Charbel Encounter Father Louis in the Monastery of St. Maroun who has registered the miracles of St. Charbel for more than 30 years. He will share with us many stories Visit the Hermitage of St. Charbel and his cell which is in the mountains overlooking a lovely valley Lunch at the Monastery of St. Maroun prepared with the food from their garden — a delicious Lebanese meal!

Monastery of St. Maroun where the tomb of St. Charbel is found

Father Louis, the archivist for the Miracles of St. Charbel

Lebanon Pilgrimage Overview September 17-25, 2022 5 nights at the Beirut Hilton Grand 3 nights in the Qadisha (Holy) Valley at the Belmont Hotel in Ehden September 17, 2022: Day 1 Overnight Beirut arrival - welcome dinner

September 21, 2022: Day 5 Overnight Beirut visit Monastery of St. Hardidi and the Monastery of St. Rafca on way to Byblos - lunch in the center of Byblos - dinner in Beirut

September 18, 2022: Day 2 Overnight Ehden attend Sunday Liturgy - travel to the Qadisha Valley - visit St. Anthony Monastery and Our Lady of the Fortress, dinner in center of Ehden

September 22, 2022: Day 6 Overnight Beirut visit downtown Beirut: the historic area, the port and the many Cathedrals - boat tour of the famous Jeita Grotto

September 19, 2022: Day 3 Overnight in Ehden visit many monasteries in the Holy Valley and encounter the monks

September 23, 2022: Day 7 Overnight Beirut travel to Harissa to visit St. Paul’s Greek Melkite Basilica, Our Lady of Lebanon and the Monastery of Our Lady of Bkerké, the Vatican of Lebanon - pray and meet with Patriarch Rai

September 20, 2022: Day 4 Overnight in Ehden visit monasteries in the Holy Valley, Cedars of Lebanon and Kahlil Gibran Museum In addition to this itinerary, we will have a number of special meetings along the way with Orthodox and Catholic leaders

September 24, 2022: Day 8 Overnight Beirut visit the Monastery of St. Maroun and the tomb of St. Charbel and the Hermitage of St. Charbel September 25, 2022: Depart

Lebanon Pilgrimage Overview September 17-25, 2022 5 nights at the Beirut Hilton Grand 3 nights in the Qadisha (Holy) Valley at the Belmont Hotel in Ehden INCLUDES

DOES NOT INCLUDE

Meals - all meals are included Private Transportation - private first class motor coach vehicle and all group transfers are included Taxes and Fees - All local taxes and fees Entrance Fees - All entrance fees are included

Land Only Package does not include airfare to and a from Beirut Other personal expenses, including but not limited to laundry services, minibar in hotel rooms, et cetera

COST Minimum - 5 pilgrims $6,500 Maximum - 12 pilgrims $4,500 Land Only Package $2,000 Donation to Friends of Lebanon

* This Land Only Packet does not include airfare, but we will assist you in obtaining your flights, if needed

Coastline of Lebanon not far from Beirut

Downtown Beirut, Lebanon

If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact Deborah Tomlinson at our U.S. Office: +1.202.536.4555 dtomlinson@InsideTheVatican.com

• Urbi et Orbi Communications representatives will be with you the entire pilgrimage — from arrival to departure: Deborah Tomlinson, Executive Director Christopher Hart-Moynihan, Director of Projects Tony Assaf, Consultant on the Friends of Lebanon Project Robert Moynihan, President (may not attend entire pilgrimage)