Our Lady Of Light

I've driven past the green mountains of Chekka a countless number of times before, on my routine city escapes to and from Beirut. And with each time I passed, I'd look to those mountains and wonder what lay on the other side, that looked out to the sea. "Our Lady Of Light", they'd all tell me, breath-taking views overlooking the coast. And it's in the North, "my North"...

So with each drive to and from, I'd look and long to go up those mountains, and finally see what they'd all been talking about...

Last week, I promised myself I'd finally make the drive this weekend. And Mum promised she'd be the one to go with me. And so, after a pancakes Sunday breakfast and a few chapters of "The Forty Rules Of Love", we set out. I had checked for directions online, all we had to do was take the side road just before the infamous tunnel of Chekka, and drive up to Hamat. It took about 15 minutes to reach the monastery, where people were just finishing up their Sunday prayers. We walked on towards the blue we saw right behind the convent, which turned out to be one of the most breathtaking sights I've ever seen in Lebanon... 

 

 I also learned of The Lady Of Light's legend, where "It is believed that two sailors built the shrine in the 4th century. One winter night, on a very stormy sea, the two sailors found themselves in peril. They began praying, and the Virgin appeared to them as a light and guided them gently to the shore of Theoprosopon near modern day Chekka in North Lebanon. The grateful sailors carved a cave in the cliff and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, and called the shrine, Our Lady of Light. A Greek Orthodox monastery was built in the 17th century. The miraculous icon of the Theotokos has been venerated for centuries for having glowed with light to attract wayward ships.^"

Lebanon really is full of hidden wonders, and if you haven't visited The Lady Of Light, I encourage you all to do so. As for me, I'll always be on the lookout for the next hidden gem... stay tuned! ;-)