Chehabism (also spelt Shehabism or Shihabism ; Arabic : الشِهابية , romanized : ash-Shihābiyya ) is a political ideology in Lebanon which follows the principles of former president and army general Fouad Chehab . The ideology later influenced the presidency of Charles Helou and Élias Serkis .
103-497: Chehab's rule was a delicate balancing act of maintaining relative harmony between the nation's Christian and Muslim populations. He followed the path and principles of dialogue and moderation coupled with public reforms, which came to be known as Chehabism. Generally deeply respected for his honesty and integrity, Chehab is credited with a number of reform plans and regulations to create a modern administration and efficient public services. That eventually brought him into conflict with
206-500: A 2015 study, an estimated 2,500 Lebanese Christians have Arab Muslim ancestry, whereas the majority of Lebanese Christians are direct descendants of the original early Christians. Before the Christian faith reached the territory of Lebanon, Jesus had traveled to its southern parts near Tyre where the scripture tells that he cured a possessed Canaanite child. Christianity in Lebanon
309-575: A fisherman by profession, who was also a traditional storyteller ( hakawati ) and thus interested in cinema – projected films on the wall of a Turkish hammam. In 1939 the Roxy opened, followed in 1942 by the "Empire": By the mid-1950s there were four cinemas in Tyre, and four more soon opened in nearby Nabatieh . Many also hosted live performances by famous actors and musicians, serving as community spaces where people from different backgrounds came together. In 1959,
412-637: A halt after 2012 due to the war there, some of them instead started excavations in Tyre, amongst them a team headed by Leila Badre , director of the Archeological Museum of the American University of Beirut ( AUB ), and Belgian archaeologists. Threats to Tyre's ancient cultural heritage include development pressures and the illegal antiquities trade. A highway, planned for 2011, was expected to be built in areas that are deemed archaeologically sensitive. A small-scale geophysical survey indicated
515-594: A major impact on the development of Lebanese music: Halim el-Roumi (1919–1983) and Ghazi Kahwaji (1945–2017). Some sources claim that the famous musician, composer, singer and actor el-Roumi was born in Tyre to Lebanese parents. However, others suggest that he was born in Nazareth and moved to Tyre from Palestine. For some time, he worked as a teacher at the Jafariya High School there. In 1950 he became director of Radio Lebanon 's music department, where he discovered
618-462: A major part in the definition of and the creation of the state of Lebanon. The modern state of Greater Lebanon was established by France in 1920 after the instigation of ambitious Maronite leaders headed by patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek , who presided over delegations to France following World War I and requested the re-establishment of the entity of the Principality of Lebanon (1515AD–1840AD). With
721-700: A military expedition to the area in 1860. The disagreements diminished in intensity only after the establishment of the Mandate and a political formula whereby all denominations achieved a degree of political representation. Besides the Beirut archdiocese, nine other archdioceses and dioceses are in the Middle East: Aleppo, Damascus, Jubayl-Al Batrun, Cyprus, Baalbek, Tripoli, Tyre, Sidon, and Cairo. Parishes and independent dioceses are situated in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela,
824-1080: A national church in the fourth century. In the sixth century, it modified the formulations of the Council of Chalcedon of 451 that confirmed the dual nature of Christ in one person. Instead, the Armenian Apostolic Church adopted a form of Miaphysitism that believes in the united nature of divine and human in Christ, a belief shared by the Copts and the Syrian Orthodox Church (Oriental Orthodox Church). The Armenian Apostolic Church has two catholicoi (Sis and Etchmiadzin Cathedral ) and two patriarchs (Constantinople and Jerusalem). The Armenians in Lebanon reside mostly in Beirut and its northern suburbs, as well as in Anjar . During
927-583: A new Metropolitan is appointed. The members of the Syriac Catholic Church are also refugees who had fled southeastern Turkey (present day Mardin region) during and after World War I due to the Assyrian/Syriac genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq and northeastern Syria into Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq and Syria. The Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Beirut
1030-448: A number of reform plans and regulations to create a modern administration and efficient public services especially after the 1958 Lebanon crisis . That eventually brought him into conflict with the traditional feudal, confessional, and clan-based politicians, who saw their grip on power diminishing. The alliance between Chehab and Lebanese prime minister Rashid Karami , a staunch Arab nationalist , soon left Karami in effective control of
1133-555: A prominent Phoenician city-state between the 9th and 6th centuries BCE, settling prestigious colonies around the Mediterranean Sea, such as Carthage and Leptis Magna . It went under Persian rule in 572 BCE, before being conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE. Monumental archaeological remains dated from the subsequent Hellenistic , Roman , Byzantine , and Medieval periods led to its inscription on its archaeological remains on
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#17328592283601236-420: A sanctuary for sea turtles and migrating birds. Due to its diverse flora and fauna , the reserve was designated a Ramsar Site in 1999 according to the international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Wetlands , since it is considered "the last bio-geographic ecosystem in Lebanon". It is an important nesting site for migratory birds , the endangered Loggerhead and green sea turtle ,
1339-521: A small group of Latin Catholics who are of at least partial French or Italian descent. The Assyrians in Lebanon were refugees who had fled their native lands in southeastern Turkey during and after World War I due to the Assyrian genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq into Syria, Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq. The Archdiocese of Lebanon and Syria of
1442-486: A stretch of 2 km with agriculture lands of small family farms and the springs of Ras El Ain with three constantly flowing artesian wells , ranging from Rashidieh to the village of Chaetiyeh in the South. The former is divided into two zones: one for tourism that features a public beach of some 900 m and restaurant tents during the summer season hosting up to 20,000 visitors on a busy day, and another 900 m of conservation zone as
1545-806: Is Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi . When a new patriarch is elected and enthroned, he requests ecclesiastic communion from the Pope, thus maintaining communion within the Catholic Church. Patriarchs may also be accorded the status of cardinals, in the rank of cardinal-bishops. The Seat of the Maronite Catholic Church is in Bkerké. Monasteries in Lebanon are run by both the Maronite and Orthodox churches. The Holy Monastery of Saint George in Deir El Harf and Saint John
1648-470: Is a city in Lebanon , one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, though in medieval times for some centuries by just a small population. It was one of the earliest Phoenician metropolises and the legendary birthplace of Europa , her brothers Cadmus and Phoenix , as well as Carthage 's founder Dido (Elissa). The city has many ancient sites, including the Tyre Hippodrome , and
1751-506: Is as old as gentile Christian faith itself. Early reports relate the possibility that Saint Peter himself was the one who evangelized the Phoenicians whom he affiliated to the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch . Paul also preached in Lebanon, having lingered with the early Christians in Tyre and Sidon . Even though Christianity was introduced to Lebanon after the first century AD, its spread
1854-554: Is elected by bishops in a synod and confirmed by the Pope in Rome, who sends him a pallium (a circular band of white wool worn by archbishops) in recognition of their communion. Greek Catholic churches, like those of the Greek Orthodox, contain icons but no statues. The Melkite Greek Catholics live primarily in the central and eastern parts of the country, dispersed in many villages. Members of this rite are concentrated in Beirut, Zahlah, and
1957-637: Is not recognized by the state. But the Minister of the Interior Ziad Baroud made it possible in 2009 to have religious affiliation removed from the Lebanese identity card . This does not, however, deny the religious authorities' complete control over civil family issues inside the country. The Maronite Christians of Lebanon are the largest Christian denomination among the Lebanese people, representing 21% of
2060-573: Is that of the procession of the Holy Spirit and there are also divergences in ritual and discipline. The Eastern Orthodox Christians include many free-holders, and the community is less dominated by large landowners than other Christian denominations. In present-day Lebanon, the Lebanese Greek Orthodox have become increasingly urbanized, and form a major part of the commercial and professional class of Beirut and other cities. Many are found in
2163-698: Is the proper archeparchy ( Eastern Catholic (archdiocese) of the Syriac Catholic Church 's ( Antiochian Rite in Syriac language ) Patriarch of Antioch in his actual seat, Beirut, Lebanon. The members of the Syriac Orthodox Church are also refugees who had fled southeastern Turkey (present day Mardin region) during and after World War I due to the Assyrian/Syriac genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq and northeastern Syria into Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq and Syria. There are several archdioceses and dioceses of
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#17328592283602266-528: Is used especially to describe vegetables and fruits from rain-fed, untreated agricultural production – originates from the Baal religion. The Tyrian municipality of Ain Baal is apparently also named after the Phoenician deity. The most visible part of ancient and medieval history on the other side have been the archaeological sites though: The first archaeological excavations were by Ernest Renan in 1860 and 1861. He
2369-530: The Arabian spiny mouse and many other creatures (including wall lizards , common pipistrelle , and European badger ). Also, there are frequent sighting of dolphins in the waters off Tyre. Altogether, the TCNR includes: 275 species distributed over 50 families. In addition, the reserve is home to seven regionally and nationally threatened species , 4 endemic and 10 rare species , whilst 59 species are restricted to
2472-774: The Assyrian/Syriac genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq and northeastern Syria into Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq and Syria. The Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Beirut is the sole eparchy ( Eastern Catholic diocese) of the Chaldean Catholic Church and is immediately dependent on the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon in Baghdad , Iraq . The Copts in Lebanon were immigrants or refugees who had fled their native lands in Egypt, Libya and Sudan. According to tradition,
2575-791: The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria was established by Saint Mark, an apostle and evangelist, in the middle of the 1st century (approximately AD 42). The ethnic Copts in Lebanon are estimated to number 3,000–4,000, and the Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the 18 religious sects recognized by the Lebanese Constitution. Tyre, Lebanon Tyre ( / ˈ t aɪər / ; Arabic : صُور , romanized : Ṣūr ; Phoenician : 𐤑𐤓 , romanized: Ṣūr ; Hebrew : צוֹר , romanized : Tsur ; Ancient Greek : Τύρος , romanized : Týros )
2678-556: The Druze founded modern Lebanon in the nineteenth century, through a governing and social system known as the " Maronite-Druze dualism " in the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate . Lebanon has the highest proportion of Christians of any Middle Eastern country, estimated to be between 37% and 43%; Egypt and Syria are next, at roughly 10%. Lebanese Christians constitute the majority of the Lebanese diaspora worldwide. According to
2781-721: The Eastern Orthodox 14, Melkites eight, the Armenians Apostolics five, Catholic Armenians one, Protestants one, and other Christian minority groups , one. The head of the Maronite Church is the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, who is elected by the bishops of the Maronite church and now resides in Bkerké , north of Beirut (but in the northern town of Dimane during the summer months). The current Patriarch (from 2011)
2884-567: The Köppen climate classification ), characterized by six months of drought from May to October. On average, it has 300 days of sun a year and a yearly temperature of 20.8 °C . The average maximum temperature reaches its highest at 30.8 °C in August and the average minimum temperature its lowest at 10 °C in January. On average, the mean annual precipitation reaches up to 645 mm. The temperature of
2987-553: The Lebanese mountains to escape emperor Justinian II 's persecution, finally settling in the Qadisha valley . Nevertheless, the influence of the Maronite establishment spread throughout the Lebanese mountains and became a considerable feudal force. The existence of the Maronites was largely ignored by the western world until the Crusades . In the 16th century, the Maronite Church adopted
3090-707: The Melkite Catholic Church . The Greek Orthodox Church forms the second-largest proportion of Lebanese Christians. The Armenian Apostolic Church also forms a large portion of the Christian population in Lebanon. The other six smaller Christian sects are considered ethnic Assyrians ( Syriac Orthodox , Syriac Catholics , Assyrian Church of the East and Chaldean Catholics ). In the Lebanese Parliament , Christians hold 64 seats in tandem with 64 seats for Lebanese Muslims . The Maronites are allotted 34 seats,
3193-542: The Phoenicians , leading to the dawn of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch . As such, Christianity in Lebanon is as old as Christian faith itself. Christianity spread slowly in Lebanon due to pagans who resisted conversion, but it ultimately spread throughout the country. Even after centuries of living under Muslim Empires , Christianity remains the dominant faith of the Mount Lebanon region and has substantial communities elsewhere. The Maronite Catholics and
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3296-540: The UNESCO World’s Heritage list in 1984. The Roman historian Justin wrote that the original founders arrived from the nearby city of Sidon in the quest to establish a new harbour. The famous Greek historian Herodotus (c. 484–425 BCE), born in the city of Halicarnassus , visited Tyre around 450 BCE at the end of the Greco-Persian Wars (499–449 BCE), and wrote in his Histories that according to
3399-657: The president of the country must be a Maronite , the Prime Minister must be a Sunnite , and the Speaker of Parliament must be a Shiite . The Taif Agreement helped establish a power-sharing system between the Christian and Muslim Lebanese political parties. The political and economic situation in Lebanon had improved greatly. Lebanon had rebuilt its infrastructure. Historical and contemporary conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel have threatened to deteriorate Lebanon's political and economic situation, with growing tension between
3502-532: The sea water reaches a minimum of 17 °C in February and a maximum of 32 °C in August. At a depth of 70 m it is constantly at 17–18 °C. Meanwhile, rising sea levels due to global warming threaten coastal erosion to Tyre's peninsula and bay areas. The ancient city of Tyre is located along the coast of Phoenicia in modern Lebanon. The site has been occupied since the Bronze Age . The city became
3605-593: The "Cinema Rivoli of Tyre" opened and quickly became one of the prime movie theatres of the country. According to UNIFIL , it was visited "by celebrity who's whos of the time, including Jean Marais , Brigitte Bardot , Rushdi Abaza and Omar Hariri." In 1964, the "Dunia" opened, two years later followed by the "Al Hamra Cinema", which became a venue for some of the Arab world's most famous performers, like Mahmoud Darwish , Sheikh Imam , Ahmed Fouad Negm , Wadih el-Safi , and Marcel Khalife . Meanwhile, two Tyrian artists had
3708-483: The "foundation of the Lebanese nation". The Maronites have been closely associated with the political system of independent Lebanon; it was estimated that in pre-Civil War Lebanon, members of this Rite held a large portion of the leading posts. However, roles were shifted due to the Taif Agreement's theoretical balancing of power. Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christianity is the second largest Christian denomination among
3811-463: The 1914 Man in the Opera Hat painting by Pablo Picasso . The proceeds totaled US$ 5.26 million. The painting was won by a 25-year-old fire-safety official from Pennsylvania . IAST president Maha al-Khalil Chalabi is a daughter of feudal lord and politician Kazem el-Khalil . In September 2017, she opened "Les Atelier", which is located in the middle of an orange grove covering an area of 7.300 m at
3914-645: The 8 March and 14 March alliances and threatening Lebanon with renewed strife. The Christian community is currently divided, with some aligned with the Kataeb party, Michel Aoun 's Free Patriotic Movement , the El Marada Party headed by Suleiman Frangieh, Jr. , the Lebanese Forces Movement Samir Geagea, and others within the collection of various 14 March Christian leaders. Although the Taif agreement
4017-729: The Antiquities Service in Lebanon and was the curator of the National Museum of Beirut . His teams uncovered most remains in the Al Bass / Hippodrome and the City Site/Roman baths. During the 1960s, Honor Frost (1917–2010) – the Cyprus -born pioneer of underwater archaeology initiated several investigations "aimed at identifying and documenting the significant archaeological potential for harbour facilities within coastal Tyre". Based on
4120-607: The Assyrian Church of the East is based in the Mar Gewargis Church of Sad El Bouchrieh, Beirut, Lebanon. After the recent passing of the archdiocese's late Archbishop Mar Narsai D'Baz , Archbishop Mar Meelis Zaia of Australia and New Zealand temporarily took over the archdiocese, handling all church related issues in Lebanon. The current bishops, the Bishop of Europe and the Bishop of Syria, oversee their individual dioceses until
4223-693: The Baptist Monastery in Douma both date back to the 5th century. The Balamand Monastery in Tripoli is a very prominent Orthodox monastery that has a seminary and a university associated with it. As of May 2022, the Lebanese Forces is the biggest Christian political party in Lebanon. Under the terms of an agreement known as the National Pact between the various political and religious leaders of Lebanon,
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4326-412: The Eastern Mediterranean area. It is also worthy to indicate that, several bio-indicator species as well as 25 medicinal species were recognized. TCNR encloses flora species belonging to the various habitats: the sandy shore, rocky shore, littoral and Freshwater ecosystems . A wide number of Gramineae , Fabaceae , Asteraceae and Umbellifereae families dominate the floristic resources. However,
4429-447: The Great in 332 BCE . This isthmus increased greatly in width over the centuries because of extensive silt depositions on either side. The part of the original island not covered by the modern city of Tyre is mostly of an archaeological site showcasing remains of the city from ancient times. Four municipalities contribute to Tyre city's 16.7 km built-up area, though none are included in their entirety: Sour municipality contains
4532-439: The Great in 332 BCE to seize the city. This reportedly 750 m-long and 60 m-wide causeway was laid over a submarine shoal less than 5.4 m deep. This shoal was interpreted as a sandbank (also called a ‘salient’), formed by the accretion of sand in the lee of the island, under the effects of the refraction and diffraction of waves around the island. The causeway interrupted longshore sand transport, forcing sand to accumulate along
4635-407: The IDF bombed the conservation site. The oil spill which devastated the coast north of Ashkelon in February 2021 also contaminated Tyre's beaches. Arguably the most lasting Phoenician legacy for the Tyrian population has been the linguistic mark that the Syriac and Akkadian languages have left on the Arabic spoken in the region of Tyre. Most notably, the widely used term "Ba'ali" – which
4738-430: The Lebanese government. The most pressing issue that was first to cause problems for Helou was the Israeli diversion of the Jordan River . Charles Helou was elected to succeed Fouad Chehab as president by the National Assembly in 1964. The Six-Day War of 1967 strained sectarian relations in Lebanon. Many Muslims wanted Lebanon to join the Arab war effort, while many Christians wished to eschew participation. Chehab
4841-447: The Lebanese people, representing 8% of the Lebanese population. The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch adheres to the Eastern Orthodox Church , which is actually a group of autocephalous churches using the Byzantine rite and are the second largest Christian denomination within Christianity in Lebanon . Historically, these churches grew out of the four Eastern Patriarchates ( Jerusalem , Antioch , Alexandria , and Constantinople ) of
4944-407: The Lebanese population. Most Protestants in Lebanon were converted by missionaries, primarily English and American, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They are divided into a number of denominations, including Presbyterian, Congregational, and Anglican. They are perceived by some to number disproportionately highly among the professional middle class. They constitute nearly 1 percent of
5047-433: The Lebanese population. The Melkite Catholics emerged as a distinct group from 1724 when they split from the Greek Orthodox Church over a disputed election of the Patriarch of Antioch. The elected man was considered too 'pro-Roman' and another faction, the larger, elected a rival who was supported by the Orthodox patriarch in Constantinople (the see of Antioch had ignored the split between the two which occurred in 1054 and
5150-408: The Lebanese population. The Maronite Church's full communion with the Catholic Church was reaffirmed in 1182, after hundreds of years of isolation in Mount Lebanon. By the terms of union, they retain their rites and canon law and use Arabic and Aramaic in their liturgy, as well the Karshuni script with old Syriac letters. Their origins are uncertain. One version traces them to John Maron of Antioch in
5253-567: The Middle East, but exact size of this population has been disputed for many years. One estimate of the Christian share of Lebanon's population, as of 2012, was 40.5%. And more recently, in 2018 the CIA World Factbook estimated that Christians constituted 33.7% of Lebanon's population. The Maronite Church , an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Catholic Church , is the largest and politically most active and influential denomination of Lebanon's Christians. The Catholic Church also includes other Eastern Catholic churches, such as
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#17328592283605356-473: The National Assembly elected Frangieh to the Presidency of the Republic on 23 September 1970. He owed his upset victory over Elias Sarkis, the official candidate of the Chehabi regime to a last minute change of mind by Kamal Jumblatt , whose supporters in the Parliament switched their votes to Frangieh. Christianity in Lebanon Christianity in Lebanon has a long and continuous history. Biblical scriptures show that Peter and Paul evangelized
5459-436: The Ottoman period like Khan Rabu and Khan Sour / Khan Ashkar have partly collapsed after decades of total neglect and lack of any maintenance whatsoever. In 2013, the International Association to Save Tyre (IAST) made headlines when it launched an online raffle in association with Sotheby's to fund the artisans' village Les Ateliers de Tyr at the outskirts of the city. Participants could purchase tickets for 100 euros to win
5562-403: The President of the Lebanese republic shall always be a Maronite. Furthermore, the pact also states that Lebanon is a state with an "Arab face" (not an Arab identity). Note that the following percentages are estimates only. As the last Lebanese census was conducted in 1932, it is difficult to have precise population estimates. Lebanon has the highest proportion of Christians of any country in
5665-417: The Southeast ( Nabatieh / Beqaa ) and North , near Tripoli . They are highly educated and well-versed in finance. The church has often served as a bridge between Lebanese Christians and the Arab countries, because it exists in various parts of the Arab world. Members of the rite constitute 8% of the population. Melkite Christianity in Lebanon is the third-largest Christian denomination, representing 5% of
5768-437: The Syriac Orthodox Church on the territory of Lebanon. The church follows the Syriac liturgy of St. James and has an independent hierarchy under the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, whose seat was formerly at Mardin in Turkey and is now at Damascus , Syria . The members of the Chaldean Catholic Church are also refugees who had fled southeastern Turkey (present day Mardin region) during and after World War I due to
5871-427: The Tyre area profited from the abundance of fresh water supplies, especially from the nearby springs of Rashidieh and Ras Al Ain in the South. In addition, there are the springs of Al Bagbog and Ain Ebreen in the North as well as the Litani River , also known as Alqasymieh. The present city of Tyre covers a large part of the original island and has expanded onto and covers most of the causeway built by Alexander
5974-423: The Tyrian population. Vast reserves of natural gas are estimated to lie beneath Lebanese waters, much of it off Tyre's coast, but exploitation has been delayed by border disputes with Israel. Early names of Tyre include Akkadian Ṣurru , Phoenician Ṣūr ( 𐤑𐤓 ), and Hebrew Tsur ( צוֹר ). In Semitic languages , the name of the city means 'rock' after the rocky formation on which
6077-431: The United States, Canada, Mexico, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal. There are four minor seminaries in Lebanon (Al Batrun, Ghazir, Ayn Saadah, and Trablous) and a faculty of theology at the University of the Holy Spirit at Al Kaslik, which is run by the Maronite Monastic Order. The patriarch is elected in a secret ceremony by a synod of bishops and confirmed by the Pope. Leaders of the Rite have considered Maronite Christianity as
6180-451: The adjacent mainland, later called Palaetyrus , meaning "Old Tyre" in Ancient Greek . The fortified city was on top of a rock from which its name was inherited as " S‘r " is the Phoenician word for "rock". It had two ports, the "Sidonian port" to the north, still partly existing today, and the "Egyptian port" to the south which has perhaps been discovered very recently. Throughout history from prehistoric times onwards, all settlements in
6283-418: The armed conflict and by anarchic urban development. In the late 1980s, "clandestine excavations" took place in the Al-Bass cemetery , which "flooded the antiquities market". Regular excavation activities only started again in 1995 under the supervision of Ali Khalil Badawi. Shortly afterwards, an Israeli bomb destroyed an apartment block in the city and evidence for an early church was revealed underneath
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#17328592283606386-454: The armed forces, as well as the sole ability to form and dissolve governments. Many Lebanese leaders, as well as global powers, continue to lobby to roll back features of the Taif Agreement that eroded the constitutional powers of the president of the republic. The role of president of the Lebanese Central bank is also a position reserved for Lebanese Christians. This is due to the historical and contemporary influence of Lebanese Christians among
6489-425: The biodiversity of the TCNR is threatened as shown by a strong decrease in the numbers of the caspian terrapin Mauremys caspica , the green toad Bufo viridis and the tree frog Hyla savigny . Also, since the 2000s, the North American camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris has invaded the TCNR as a neophyte from Haifa across the Blue Line. During the 2006 war, turtle breeding areas were affected when
6592-508: The bombardment had damaged frescoes in a Roman funerary cave at the Tyre Necropolis . Additional site degradation was also noted, including "the lack of maintenance, the decay of exposed structures due to lack of rainwater regulation and the decay of porous and soft stones". Since 2008, a Lebanese French team under the direction by Pierre-Louis Gatier of the University of Lyon has been conducting archaeological and topographical work. When international archeological missions in Syria came to
6695-414: The catechism of the Catholic Church and reaffirmed its relationship with it. Moreover, Rome dispatched Franciscan , Dominican and later Jesuit missionaries to Lebanon to Latinise the Maronites. The relationship between the Druze and Christians has been characterized by harmony and peaceful coexistence , with amicable relations between the two groups prevailing throughout history, with
6798-427: The causeway, rapidly creating an emerged sandy isthmus (or tombolo ), linking the island to the mainland. This sandy isthmus rapidly inflated during the centuries following the construction of the causeway. By early Imperial Roman times, monumental buildings had been built over most of its surface. Their layout implies that the isthmus was by then nearly as wide as today. Therefore, the isthmus had completely reshaped
6901-406: The city hosts three of the twelve Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon: Burj El Shimali , El Buss , and Rashidieh . Tyre juts out from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea , and is located about 80 km (50 mi) south of Beirut . It originally consisted of two distinct urban centres: Tyre itself, which was on an island just 500 to 700m offshore, and the associated settlement of Ushu on
7004-472: The civil war, the main stance of the Armenians was not to pick a side between Muslims or Christians and stay exempt mostly from the fighting. The largest Armenian community in Lebanon is found in Bourj Hammoud . Among the Armenians in Lebanon there are some who belong to the Armenian Catholic Church . They are also refugees who had fled Turkey during and after World War I and the Armenian genocide . The Latin Catholic Church in Lebanon consists mainly of
7107-408: The creation of the state of Lebanon, Arabism was overcome by Lebanism , which emphasizes Lebanon's Mediterranean and Phoenician heritage. In the National Pact , an unwritten gentleman's agreement between the Maronite President Bshara el-Khoury and Sunni Prime Minister Riad as-Solh , the seats of presidency were distributed between the main Lebanese religious denominations. According to the pact,
7210-449: The discovery of 250 BCE to 500 CE harbour sediments behind this breakwater demonstrated the existence of a northern harbour repeatedly, if not permanently, throughout Antiquity under the modern harbour of Tyre. The location of the southern harbour is more elusive. Renan (1864–1874) envisioned it as an extensive structure now located offshore, south of the former island. Subsequent diving surveys identified submerged man-made structures on
7313-467: The eastern coast of Tyre Island within 6–10 centuries after the construction of the causeway, spurring a radical transformation of the city. Tyre enjoys a reputation of having some of the cleanest beaches and waters of Lebanon. However, a UN HABITAT profile found that "seawater is also polluted due to wastewater discharge especially in the port area". There is still also considerable pollution by solid waste. The Tyre Coast Nature Reserve (TCNR)
7416-422: The exception of some periods, including 1860 Mount Lebanon civil war . Due to their turbulent history, the Maronites formed a secluded identity in the mountains and valleys of Lebanon, led by the Maronite patriarch who voiced his opinion on contemporary issues. They identify themselves as a unique community whose religion and culture is distinct from the predominantly Muslim Arab world. The Maronites played
7519-574: The heart of the city, excluding the Natural and Coastal Reserve; Burj El Shimali to the East without unpopulated agricultural lands; Abbasiyet Sour to the North without agricultural lands and a dislocated village; and Ain Baal to the South-East, also without agricultural lands and dislocated villages. Tyre's urban area lies on a fertile coastal plain, which explains the fact that as of 2017 about 44% of its territory
7622-464: The key bankers of the Middle East region. Although Lebanon is a secular country , family matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance are still handled by the religious authorities representing a person's faith. Calls for civil marriage are unanimously rejected by the religious authorities but civil marriages conducted in another country are recognized by Lebanese civil authorities. Non-religion
7725-540: The mountainous areas of Lebanon and Syria. During the Ottoman era (1516–1914) they remained isolated and relatively independent in these areas. In 1857 and 1858 the Maronites revolted against the large landowning families. The revolt was followed by a further struggle between the Druzes and Maronites over land ownership, political power, and safe passage of community members in the territory of the other. The conflict led France to send
7828-402: The northeastern outskirts of Tyre. The city of Tyre appears in many biblical traditions: A multi-ring structured region on Europa , the smallest of the four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter , is named after Tyre, the legendary birthplace of princess Europa. Originally called "Tyre Macula ", it is some 140 kilometers in diameter (about the size of the island of Hawaii ) and thought to be
7931-639: The northern harbour area of Tyre. In 2003, Randa Berri, president of the National Association for the Preservation of South Lebanon's Archaeology and Heritage and wife of Nabih Berri , veteran leader of the Amal Movement and longtime Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon, patronized a plan to renovate Khan Sour / Khan Al Askaar, the former Ma'ani palace, and convert it into a museum. As of 2019, nothing
8034-739: The original five major episcopal sees (the Pentarchy ) of the Roman Empire which included Rome. The final split took place in 1054. From that time, the Eastern Churches have continued to reject the claims of the Patriarchate of Rome (the Catholic Church) to universal supremacy and have rejected the concept of papal infallibility. Doctrinally, the main point at issue between the Eastern and Western Churches
8137-460: The population (around 40,000) and live primarily in Beirut ( Greater Beirut ). The Lebanese Baptist Evangelical Convention was founded in 1955 by various churches. The Armenians in Lebanon mostly descend from refugees who had fled Turkey during and after the Armenian genocide during World War I . The Armenian Apostolic Church was organized in the third century and became autocephalous as
8240-486: The presence of archaeological remains at proposed construction sites. The sites have not been investigated. Despite the relocation of a proposed traffic interchange, the lack of precise site boundaries confuses the issue of site preservation. A 2018 study of Mediterranean world heritage sites found that Tyre's City site has "the highest risk of coastal erosion under current climatic conditions, in addition to 'moderate' risk from extreme sea levels." Further coastal inspection
8343-439: The priests there, the city was founded 2300 years earlier (around 2750 BCE), as a walled place upon the mainland, now known as Paleotyre (Old Tyre). The Phoenician Tyrians' international trade network was based on its two harbours which are mentioned by ancient writers (Arrian, Anabasis, 2, 24; Strabo, Geography, 16,2,23). The northern harbour opened toward the Phoenician city of Sidon and has been therefore referred to as
8446-594: The results, she suggested that the Al Mobarakee Tower may actually date back to Hellenistic times. All those works stopped though soon after the 1975 beginning of the Civil War and many records were lost. In 1984, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) declared Tyre a World Heritage Site in an attempt to halt the damage being done to the archaeological sites by
8549-473: The rubble. Its unusual design suggests that this was the site of the Cathedral of Paulinus which had been inaugurated in 315 CE. In 1997, the first Phoenician cremation cemetery was uncovered in the al-Bass site , near the Roman necropolis. Meanwhile, Honor Frost mentored local Lebanese archaeologists to conduct further underwater investigations, which in 2001 confirmed the existence of a human-made structure within
8652-504: The seafloor within 150 m of the former island. Antoine Poidebard, who was the first to have them explored by divers in 1939, saw in these structures former breakwaters enclosing a harbour with two entrances. The geographic area enclosed within these structures is therefore often referred to as the “Southern Harbour”. These structures have also been interpreted as a polder-like area protecting an urban district (El-Amouri et al., 2005; Frost, 1971; Renan, 1864–1874). A Phoenician-style breakwater
8755-523: The seventh century A.D.; another points to St. Maron , a monk in the late fourth and early fifth centuries (who is considered by many to be the true origin of the Maronite Church). The words "maron" or "marun" in Syriac mean "small lord." In the late seventh century, as a result of persecutions from other Christians for the heterodox views they had adopted, the Maronites withdrew from the coastal regions into
8858-470: The site where an asteroid or comet impacted Europa's ice crust. The asteroid 209 Dido is named after the legendary Tyrian-Carthaginian princess. It is a very large main-belt asteroid , classified as a C-type asteroid which is probably composed of carbonaceous materials. 209 Dido was discovered in 1879 by C. H. F. Peters . The first cinema in Tyre opened in the late 1930s when a café owner established makeshift film screenings. Hamid Istanbouli –
8961-462: The suburbs of Sidon. They have a relatively higher level of education than other denominations. Proud of their Arab heritage, Greek Catholics have been able to strike a balance between their openness to the Arab world and their identification with the West. Greek Catholics are estimated to constitute 5% of the population. The Protestants of Lebanon form the fourth-largest Christian group, representing 1% of
9064-610: The town was originally built. The predominant form in Classical Greek was Týros ( Τύρος ), which was first seen in the works of Herodotus but may have been adopted considerably earlier. It gave rise to Latin Tyrus , which entered English during the Middle English period as Tyre . The demonym for Tyre is Tyrian , and the inhabitants are Tyrians . Tyre has a Hot-summer mediterranean climate (classified as Csa under
9167-409: The traditional feudal, confessional, and clan-based politicians, who saw their grip on power diminishing. Fouad Chehab's presidency was a delicate balancing act of maintaining relative harmony between the nation's Christian and Muslim populations. He followed the path and principles of dialogue and moderation coupled with public reforms, which came to be known as Chehabism. Chehab is credited with
9270-464: The vicinity of Homs – Syria and founded a community of monks which began to preach the gospel in the surrounding areas. By faith, liturgy, rite, religious books and heritage, the Maronites were of Eastern origin. The Saint Maron Monastery was too close to Antioch to grant the monks their freedom and autonomy, which prompted Saint John Maron , the first Maronite patriarch-elect, to lead his monks into
9373-406: The “Sidonian Harbour” by 19th and 20th century scholars, but it was referred to as the "Port of Astronoe" during Late Antiquity. The southern harbour opened toward Egypt and was referred to as the “Egyptian Harbour”. The location of the two harbours has been the subject of speculations since the 17th Century. The submarine excavation of a large, 4-6th Century BCE breakwater north of the city, and
9476-569: Was added as a whole to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984. The historian Ernest Renan noted that "One can call Tyre a city of ruins, built out of ruins". Today, Tyre is the fifth largest city in Lebanon after Beirut , Tripoli , Sidon , and Baalbek . It is the capital of the Tyre District in the South Governorate . There were approximately 200,000 inhabitants in the Tyre urban area in 2016, including many refugees , as
9579-710: Was canonically in union with both in 1724). Although they fully accept Catholic doctrines as defined by the Holy See , they have generally remained close to the Greek Orthodox Church, retaining more of the ancient rituals and customs than have the Maronites. They employ Arabic and Greek and follow the Byzantine rite. The highest official of the church since 1930 has been the Patriarch of Antioch, who resides at Ayn Traz, about twenty-four kilometers southeast of Beirut. The patriarch
9682-535: Was conducted in 2019, leading to a new hypothesis about the local relative sea level rise and to discovery of yet unreported submerged coastal structures. Like many of the cities in the Levant and in Lebanon , the architecture since the Lebanese Civil War in the 1970s has been of poor quality, which tend to threaten the cultural heritage in the built environment before the war. Meanwhile, historical buildings from
9785-580: Was decreed in 1998 by the Ministry of Public Works . It is 3.5 km (2.2 mi) long and covers over 380 hectares (940 acres). The TCNR is within the best preserved stretch of sandy coastline in southern Lebanon and divided into two section zones: a 1.8 km sand lined beach, 1.8 km long and 500 meters wide-ranging from the Tyre Rest House in the north to the Rashidieh Refugee Camp in the South, and
9888-500: Was done by a French team under the leadership of Denyse Le Lasseur in 1921. It was followed by another mission between 1934 and 1936 that included aerial surveys and diving expeditions. It was led by the Jesuit missionary Antoine Poidebard , a pioneer of aerial archaeology . Large-scale excavations started in 1946 under the leadership of Emir Maurice Chéhab (1904–1994), "the father of modern Lebanese archaeology" who for decades headed
9991-452: Was done in that regard and the ruins have kept on crumbling. The hostilities of the 2006 Lebanon War put the ancient structures of Tyre at risk. This prompted UNESCO 's Director-General to launch a "Heritage Alert" for the site. Following the cessation of hostilities in September 2006, a visit by conservation experts to Lebanon observed no direct damage to the ancient city of Tyre. However,
10094-529: Was followed in the 1870s by Johannes Nepemuk Sepp. His most notable work was excavating at the cathedral in an attempt to find the bones of Frederick Barbarossa . More work was undertaken in 1903 by the Greek archaeologist Theodore Makridi , curator of the Imperial Museum at Constantinople . Important findings like fragments of marble sarcophagi were sent to the Ottoman capital. An archaeological survey of Tyre
10197-529: Was recently found within this area, but excavation is needed to confirm its age ascription. Harbour sediments found behind the structure suggest that the breakwater was part of the Egyptian harbour. Harbour sediments found near Hiram's Tower, further north, mark an early location of the Sidonian Harbour. The development of Tyre was profoundly affected by the construction of a causeway built by Alexander
10300-578: Was used for intra-urban agriculture, while built-up land constituted over 40%. In terms of geomorphology and seismicity , Tyre is close to the Roum Fault and the Yammouneh Fault . Though it has suffered a number of devastating earthquakes over the millennia , the threat level is considered to be low in most places and moderate in a few others. However, a tsunami following an earthquake and subsequent landslides and floods pose major natural risks to
10403-462: Was very slow, particularly in the mountainous areas where paganism was still unyielding. The earliest indisputable tradition of Christianity in Lebanon can be traced back to Saint Maron in the 4th century AD, being of Greek/Eastern/Antiochian Orthodox origin and the founder of national and ecclesiastical Maronitism. Saint Maron adopted an ascetic and reclusive life on the banks of the Orontes river in
10506-571: Was widely considered by Christians to degrade their role in Lebanon, by removing much of the President's role (which is allocated to the Maronites ), and bolstering the roles of the Prime Minister (a Sunni ) and the Speaker of Parliament ( Shia ), the Lebanese President nevertheless still wields considerable power. The constitutional remit of the president includes the role of Commander in Chief of
10609-408: Was widely expected to contest the presidential election of 1970 but he declared that his experience in office had convinced him that the people of Lebanon were not ready to put aside traditional or feudal politics or to support him in building a modern state. He chose to endorse his protégé, Elias Sarkis , instead. In the closest and possibly most controversial presidential election in Lebanese history,
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