Maronite Cathedral of Saint George, Beirut

Coordinates: 33°53′43″N 35°30′19″E / 33.895272°N 35.505310°E / 33.895272; 35.505310
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Saint George Maronite Cathedral
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Saint George Maronite Cathedral
Year consecrated
1894
Statusactive
Location
LocationBeirut, Lebanon
Maronite Cathedral of Saint George, Beirut is located in Beirut
Maronite Cathedral of Saint George, Beirut
The Cathedral shown within Beirut
Geographic coordinates33°53′43″N 35°30′19″E / 33.895272°N 35.505310°E / 33.895272; 35.505310
Architecture
Architect(s)Giuseppe Maggiore
StyleNeo-Classical
Groundbreaking1884
Completed1894
Specifications
Direction of façadeSouth
MaterialsSandstone, marble, granite, limestone

Saint George Maronite Cathedral (

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
, began in 1884 and ended in 1894.

The cathedral was heavily hit and shelled during the

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir on 24 April 2000.[1]

Construction

Postcard of Beirut showing the Saint George cathedral, early 20th century.

The Cathedral of Saint George was built by

Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.[4]

The nave is covered with a coffered ceiling with gilded and a double wooden structure, covered with golden leaves on a beige background. The walls are decorated with stucco and marble. Above the main altar is a canopy four columns. At the rear, in the choir, is the cathedra (bishop throne) of the Archbishop of Beirut, and the chair used by Pope John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Lebanon in 1997.[5]

Architecture

Inspired by the

Decumanus Maximus
colonnaded street, and an Ottoman wall.

On 19 November 2016, Beirut Archbishop Paul Matar inaugurated the new campanile which took a decade to construct. The campanile stands 72 meters (236 ft) high; the original design envisaged a 75 meters (246 ft) tall bell tower to match the height of the campanile of the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome. According to the archbishop, the reduction in the campanile's height to stand equal to that of the minarets of the adjacent Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque aims to send a message of interfaith solidarity and harmony.[6]

On 4 August 2020, the cathedral was damaged in the

Beirut explosions[7]
that ripped Beirut port. Beirut was a huge chaos back then, which left behind homeless families, scattered houses and unsheltered people. Specifically, the cathedral was highly affected by the blast. Doors and windows were burst and dispersed, stained glass along with their deformed frames were scattered all over the place. The cathedral also suffered from a damaged pitched roof where bricks were broken or misplaced and exposed cracks became visible in beams and marbling paints. The ceiling was also affected where some panels were out of place, suspended mid-air or completely fallen off. Electrical, lighting and sound fixtures were either damaged or disconnected. After the explosion, volunteers took prompt actions such as cleaning the place, mobilizing furniture as well as sorting the damaged elements and organizing the undamaged ones. The renovation process was launched due to the funding of many donors from Lebanon and other countries. Fortunately, despite the endless destructions the cathedral had been struggling with, there is always someone taking care of this historical and spiritual place and bringing back its main significant symbol of the presence of the Maronites in the Capital of Lebanon and their expansion throughout the Lebanese territory.

Location

The Church of Saint George is located in the downtown area of Beirut. It is one of the most important

Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch
.

Timeline

1884–1894: Construction of the cathedral, which was inspired by the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

1954: Restoration works inside the cathedral undertaken by Antoun Tabet.

1975–1990: Civil War badly damaged the cathedral.

1997: Post war rehabilitation of the Cathedral led to the recovery of its original Renaissance cruciform shape. Significant archaeological remains were unearthed and preserved.

April 2000: Cathedral inauguration.

19 November 2016: Campanile inauguration.[6]

4 August 2020:

Beirut explosions damaged the cathedral.[7]

See also

Further reading

  • Tubiya ABI 'AD, Katidra'iya Mar Jirjis al-Maruniya, Beirut: Chahine Printing Press, 2000.

Sources

  • Kassir, Samir (2003) Histoire de Beyrouth, Fayard, Paris. , Les lieux de culte au Liban. Ministère du Tourisme, Beyrouth.

References

  1. ^ Discover Lebanon. "Beirut Saint George Cathedral, Mosque El Omari". Retrieved 2009-12-27.
  2. ^ Archdiocese of Beirut. "cathedrale". Archdiocese of Beirut (in Arabic). Archived from the original on September 11, 2007. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
  3. ^ Lebanese Ministry of Tourism. "Ministry of Tourism :: Destination Lebanon". Archived from the original on 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
  4. ^ [Vloeberghs, Ward (2008), "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2010-01-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), PDF). ISSN 1028-3625. Retrieved 2010-01-13.]
  5. ^ [Morel, Elodie. "The places of worship in Down-Town: a gleam of diversity". iloubnan. Retrieved 2010-01-08.]
  6. ^ a b Perry, Tom (23 November 2016). "Beirut skyline captures religious rivalry and harmony". Reuters. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  7. ^ a b Rea, Naomi (5 August 2020). "'I Doubt It Is Worth Reopening': Art Spaces in Beirut Are Decimated by the City's Deadly Explosions". Art Net. Retrieved 6 August 2020.

External links