Lebanon is a sunshine mosaic of cultures.
By: Joumana Bou Fakhreddine
Come with me to Lebanon, our cultural voice is portrayed by ” I believe you have inherited from your fore father’s a dream, a prophecy song”. Gibran
Beautifully, higher and higher it rises upon the skies of the world, Lebanon’s greater future is a shining by the art of living. For centuries our cedars’ will, are glittering triumph, standing high, endorsing our freedom’s resurrection, signed by Lebanon’s independence.
“You are garden fountain, a well of flowering water, a streaming down from Lebanon… My bride” king Salamon song.
Lebanon’s religious immortality is blesses from the creation of legacy of Noah, who has survived from the flood, replanted a sacred tree, at the highest point in Lebanon and Levant, that is the peak of Qurnet- El Sawda, with 3, 088 meters above see level.
Lebanon’s is mentioned around 71 times in the bible: “Let me go and see the land beyond Jordan-that fine hill country and Lebanon” Deuteromy 1: 6: -8 Our mountains are our historical missions, the pope of Rome set it aloud with religious global signature: ” Lebanon is more than a country, it is a message of freedom, and an example of pluralism between East and West” Pope John Paul II.
Our mountains are remarkably bathed with purity highlighting different faith origins, stamped by the world of snow, shining bright, angelic ally viewed via sunset, expressing the creation of Lebanon’s name. Lebanon is ” LUBNAN” in standard Arabic comes from Armiac and Sematic root “LBN”, meaning “White”, regarding to the snowcapped Mount- Lebanon.
Upon the Mediterranean Shore, awakening our cultural Mosaic icon. Our remembrance of few golden glorious legacies. Narrated, as a tour, visiting elite towns, where stamps of civilizations are a word of truth, forecasted in golden history pages, as Bing Lebanese is equivalent to the citizens of the world. We have 21 centuries that foretell our history. Let’s hail Beirut that stands out with its universities, and religious places and crowned by our museum in Beirut that was opened in 1942 with 100,000 pieces. Without a doubt “Remembrance is a form of a meeting” Gibran.
500 BC: Phoenician port was from road Foch, and extends to the road Allenby. Our Universities stands out as pioneers of our Middle East region with all the multi- language that is adopted within few blessings of French mandate that was the final battle to reach our independence in 1943.
Beirut is alive for eternity, witnessing civilizations beauty, portrayed in Roman’s Ruins in the central district. Our Lebanese cuisine foretells the rich culture in focused, portraying the one and the only positive Turkish touch on our history. Let’s continue our tour, taking one sip at a time, Byblos, ” The area of Byblos and all vallay of Lebanon to. Baal Gad below Mount Hermon, to Lebo tamath” Josuah : 13: 15.
Lebanon is Davicious world, Byblos rise, and it is mentioned four times in the Holy Bible. Walking upon the shores of Byblos, the alphabets on 200 BC, crowned by the birth voice of Adonis applauded and honored in the oldest city. The knowledge is expressed by Pheonetic language, with 22 letters written from Left to right. Indeed it is first level society as oldest language, to make use of Alphabet or Abjad, and it is believed Phonetic language is the ancestors of our modern alphabets.
On the Northern coast, Tripoli stands out as second city in Lebanon.. It was crowned as the largest fortress on 14th Century, The Cathedral of Raymond De Saint Gills. It achieved a semi- independence at Fatimid rule, when it developed to center of learning. Tripoli has become the trading center of the whole Mediterranean, when it was inhibited by Arabs. Reaching Bsharri.is the inspirational pulse of Goddess Ishtar, the myths glories are shadowed by the cedars. Gibran Musuem is crowned by his words: ” Love is a word of light, written with a hand of light”. Our modern Lebanese literature is lit by the shining manuscripts of Gibran’s signature, ” I am your future, come and follow me”.
Reaching Cedars of God, ” The cedars of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars are planted” Psalm 104, 16 NRSV . Our cedars witnessing 300 years, rising proud towards the skies. Let’s do a toast on Southern coast, Qanna, is eternally fermented with the Christ glories, ” let’s serve the good Wine” John : 2:1-11. Tyre was found around 2750 BC, according to the Greek Historian Horodotus (1484- BC- 424BC) Tyre beholds on its shores Amarna alphabets, that were used as a communication tour between, the price of Tyre, and Akteaten Pharaoh dated on (1350 BC) The two harbors of Tyre, beholds the ancient world commerce, in the ware house of Tyre, along with the ceremonies of coronations held by prince Richard on January 12th, 1921. The Eyes of the Murex shells nourish ancient legacies that are Europa and Elissa.
Homer documented the Phoenician bride, via the Elliad on 8th century, ” … “The heart of Love, the pushing rush logging, the love whispers irresistible,- magic to make the sanest to go mad.” Homer.
Ancient tales describe Europa among Zeus marriages, Zeus( God of sky, lightening, law, order, and justice). Elissa is the queen of Carthage (in our modern days, is Tunisia) Virgil famous Italian poet, documented Elissa’s legendary via his work ” Aenied”, between ( 29- 19 BC) ” “what good are prayers and shrine to a person mad in love” Virgil. The great stamp is Sieg city via Alexander the great, “one must live and be forever, and as if one might die each moment, always both at once.” Alexander the great. Ending Tyr’s tour via the classical beauty of Roman’s, crowned by Roman Hippodrome ( 203- 33 AD) Reaching the twin sister Sidon, where Murex shells continues to foretell it’s royal beauty, Homer praised Sidon, as both embroidery, and as the crafts. of the glass purple dye extracted from Murex shells. The great stamp of Alexander the great was on 333 BC, “there is nothing impossible, who he will try. ” Alexander the great. Since creation Sidon is documented by Old Testament: “Canaan first born son” Genesis 10:15 and crowned by Jesus miracle documented via Mathew 15: 21. Fortelling religious glories by the Sea castle, which is the signature of Crusaders built in 1228 AD. Heading to Baalbak, the world witnesses it’s glorious architecture that is signed by Censor’s s admiration that made it a colony on 27 BC. Simply the best Roman temple in the world, rejoicing too many myths ( Jupitat, Venus, Heasad and Antargatis. Baalbak the city of sun, shining since 9000 years, the buds of glories are endless seeds for flourishing the infinite, dreams. Since 60AD Baalbek rises with six corinthean culums, and Jupitar temple looks at the sun, within the two temples Venus and Bacchus, to keep an eye, for the great platform that is an outer podium, wall, considered to be among the three biggest blocks ever used in man structure.
Baalbak temples add antiquity charm to annual international festival Reaching Mount Lebanon to Beit Chabab, “it is the site, of Lebanon’s only bells foundry”, reaching Shouf, let’s hail, the prince Fakhreddine, who turned Lebanon to an architecture heaven. The man of Lebanon, is the head of Emirate Shouf that was self governed, Uniting Lebanon, via first step of accomplishing the sovereignty to Mount Lebanon.
Prince Fakhreddine is born in Baakline, crowned his rule via his palace in Deir Qmar built on 7th century, this is why it is known of Capitol of Emir.
He inspired from Tuskana,( Italian town located at Central Italy the beautiful architecture. Let’s head to the Shouf Cedars, that for tells the ex-eternity to reach eternity. It represents 5.3% of Lebanese territory signed by French poet Lamartine, while he visited Lebanon on 1932 and met prince Bachir in Beiteddine Palace. “The Cedars of Lebanon are the most famous natural monuments in the Universe. Religion, poetry and history have all celebrated them because of the reputation for magnificence and holiness that these prodigies of vegetation have enjoyed since the earliest antiquity …
These ancient witnesses of past ages know history better than does history itself …”
On the cross roads of cultures, our Lebanese foreheads are high “change your opinions, keep to your principles, change your leaves, keep intact to your roots” Victor Hugo. What is Lebanese? Being Lebanese is brilliantly expressed by Gibran ” We are fluttering wondering, logging creatures a thousand thousand years, before the sea and winds gave us word.”.
Indeed Lebanon is a sun shine mosaic of cultures.
By: Joumana Bou Fakhreddine