Mother of Lebanon at Harissa

Our lady of Lebanon

Once the group was rounded up again and on the bus we were off to Harissa.  This is the site where a statue of the Virgin Mary stands looking out protectively to Beirut above Jounieh bay.  She is called Our Lady of Lebanon.  She weights over 7 tons and was purchased from the French.  Behind her is a the cathedral Notre Dome du Liban that the guide said was in the shape of a cedar tree, but the guide books says looks like a bird in flight.  There are various other churches around the area.  The statue and the cathedral were erected at the end of the 19^th century as a sign to the much persecuted Lebanese Christians. They were emigrating from Lebanon to

Brazil in large numbers and Lebanon wanted to slow the exodus. Today 20% of the Brazilian parliament is made up of ethnic Lebanese.  To get to Harissa we rode a teleferique and then a  funicular from Jounieh.  The views from the top were wonderful but a little hazy.