Our Lady of Mantara
33.52802777777835.379888888889Koordinaten: 33 ° 31 ' 41 "N, 35 ° 22' 48" E
Our Lady of Mantara is a place of pilgrimage with a miraculous image of "Our Lady ". The Sanctuary is located in the city Maghduscha in Lebanon. 's Landmark is a hexagonal chapel, a place of pilgrimage includes a Basilica and the " Holy Cave ".
Legend and History
The origin of the devotion to Mary is attributed to a cave in which Mary is said to have stopped waiting while her son Jesus Christ preached in the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, and there healed a woman's daughter.
Pre-Christian times
Even in pre-Christian times the worship of the fertility goddess Astarte said to have been widespread in Lebanon and especially in the area of Tyre, Sidon and Maghduscha. The worship of this goddess by the West Semitic peoples reflected the annual cycle. The temples and shrines of the goddess Astarte were converted at the beginning of Christianity in Christian places of worship and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In the vicinity of Maghduscha are still the remains of a Astarteschreines.
The Byzantine Period
During the reign of Emperor Constantine 's mother Helena had placed around 324 that all pagan temples and idols of Astartekults to be destroyed. At that time, the discovery of the cave, which was recognized as an abode of Mary began. Helena asked the Bishop of Tyre to consecrate the place of the cave and prepare a small chapel in it. She gave the Christian community an icon with the image of the Virgin Mary with the Christ child in her arms, the future picture of grace. The chapel said to have been passed down by tradition from Helena with the name " Our Lady of Mantara " named. This is to mean something like " Our love waiting woman." The place and the Holy Places were fitted over three centuries by the Byzantine ruler with imperial treasures and financial support.
Islamic rule
The Islamic expansion, with the Battle of Yarmuk took 636 one of its highlights, meant that the Byzantine Empire lost its influence. The new rulers showed little tolerance towards Christians and destroyed in the cities of Tyre, Sidon, Beirut, Byblos and Tripoli, many Christian sites. The inhabitants Maghduschas retreated to Mount Lebanon, but had closed the cave with a chapel before their flight. The cave entrance they hid under earth, rocks and plants. This placed the legend " Our love waiting woman " into oblivion.
The Crusaders
With the arrival of the Crusaders in Sidon settled between the 12th and 13th centuries at some Crusaders in close proximity to Maghduscha. Unwittingly, they built a few meters from the cave entrance, a small fortress. With the Crusaders also many people from the mountains to return to their ancestral places.
The Emirates
The reigning Emir Fakhreddin II (1572-1635) was an enlightened ruler, he believed in the equality of religions and sat ministers each with a different religious affiliation. For Christians began a renaissance, the Holy Cave was rediscovered on September 8, 1721 by a young shepherd. According to tradition, he wanted to save a goat that was trapped in the stone rubble. With a rope, which he had round him the goat, he wanted to use as a guide pulley a tree. Here, the tree broke away from the roots and put a free entrance. The boy continued to work himself into the pit and entered the cave. The first thing he realized was donated by Empress Helena icon. He ran in haste to the village and reported his find.
Development of the pilgrimage site
Since the rediscovery of the Holy Cave and exposure to the public was made available. The place became a place of pilgrimage and September 8 is celebrated with a big party every year. Today is a cemetery of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church on the adjacent hills. The entire sanctuary is now under the management of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The Archbishop of Sidon is also the episcopal leader of the pilgrimage center and host of Basika of Maghduscha. At the beginning of the 1960s was under the patronage of Bishop Basile Khoury a hexagonal chapel, today's landmark, built, whose 28-meter- high spire decorated with a statue of Mary.
Miracle of Maghduscha
The miraculous image of " Our Lady of Mantura " be attributed to several miraculous cures. In a brochure from 1910 that was written by Bishop Basilo Haggiar of Sidon, 16 miracles are described. When half of that miracle was reported on children and expectant mothers. " Saïdet -El Mantara " was out dubbed it as " Our Lady of the children." As a result, the Holy Cave became a baptism site for small children. The best-known miracle is reported on the healing of a blind woman.