FEAST OF SAINT MARON -- الشهادة والشهداء
Minneapolis, February 12, 2017 - by Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun
Today falls the Sunday of the Righteous and Just or All Saints on our liturgical calendar. And what better is than celebrating the Feast of our own Saint Maron, the Father of the Maronite Church and the Patron of our parish here in Minneapolis?
It was in the year 410AD that Saint Maron died, and it was 1903 that our parish of Saint Maron in Minneapolis was born.

We come from a Church, a branch of Christianity that has paid a big price so that you and I can have this precious gift of faith.

The Maronite Synod of Bishops has designated this year starting February 9, the Feast of Saint Maron, as “The Year of Witness and Martyrsالشهادة والشهداء ”
In the semetic languages the words witness and martyr come from the same root.
One of the definition of a witness is “one who has personal knowledge of something.” When you have a personal knowledge of your faith you are a witness sharing your belief with others.
A martyr on the other hand is a witness who goes a step further that most often leads him or her to the point of total self-sacrifice.

“Witness and Martyrs الشهادة والشهداء” Two deep words that have a deep meaning in the Maronite Church. The list of martyrs is very long, and there are hundreds of thousands of martyrs that are not known to us. Starting with the 350 Maronite monks who were martyred in the in the year 517. From there the waves of persecution and the number of martyrs increased dramatically. But they continued to witness and become martyrs شهدوا واستشهدوا
Around 635AD, Damascus, Baalbek, Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and many other cities fell to Arab invaders. The Maronite churches and villages in northern Syria were destroyed and many Maronites were massacred. Under the leadership of the first Patriarch John Maron, the Maronites fled to Lebanon for protection to be with other Maronites who were already established in the mountains and the Holy Valley. But they continued to witness and become martyrs شهدوا واستشهدوا

In 1097 the Crusaders set off from Europe to deliver Jerusalem from the hands of Islam. A large number of Maronites joined them on their journey to liberate the Holy Land. It is estimated that during the Crusades 50,000 Maronites fell in battle under the standard of the Cross. But they continued to witness and become martyrs شهدوا واستشهدوا

By 1291 the Crusaders were all but defeated and left the Middle East and the Maronites were left behind to witness and become martyrs شهدوا واستشهدوا
Starting in the late 13th century, the Mamluk Islamic Dynasty ruled Lebanon. This was one of the harshest period of persecution. General anti-Christian feeling was channeled against the Maronites. They suffered every humiliation, their Churches were set on fire, their villages plundered, and their vineyards destroyed. The Mamluk army went deep into the Maronite heart land and demolished Besharri, Ehden, Hadath El Jubbah. But they continued to witness and become martyrs شهدوا واستشهدوا
The Maronite Patriarchs themselves over the years also had their share of the general misfortune, suffering as much as any. One was tortured, another harassed, another compelled to flee, another put on trial, and one of them in 1367, patriarch Gabriel Hjoula, was burnt alive in downtown Tripoli. His tomb still stands in Bab el Ramel, at the gates of Tripoli. In 1402, there was great hardship. Many of the dead remained without burial, many of which died of hunger. It was a tragedy without parallel." (DOUAIHY, The Annals,338). But they continued to witness and become martyrs شهدوا واستشهدوا

by alaraby.co.uk

The prestigious best fiction film award at this year's Berlin film festival has gone to joint the Lebanese-French-Belgian film Insyriated, it was announced on Saturday. Insyriated is a tautly-constructed drama about a group of people trying to live a normal life in a war zone. It is the second film staring Palestinian-Israeli Hiam Abbass to win the Panorama Audience Award with the actress also played the lead in Eran Riklis's Lemon Tree in 2008. Winning director Philipp Van Leeuw triumphs with only his second feature film. He previously tackled conflict themes, and the poignant topic of Rwandan genocide, in 2008's The Day God Walked Away.