Our Lady of Lebanon
High above the Bay of Jounieh, a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary stands with her arms extended toward the sea. She is crowned, cloaked in a flowing mantle, and painted white. At her feet, the Mediterranean curves into the harbor below. At her back, the mountains of Keserwan rise toward the cedars. This is Our Lady of Lebanon at Harissa, the country's most visited Marian shrine and one of the defining religious landmarks of the Middle East.
For Maronite Catholics, Our Lady of Lebanon is more than a statue. She is the patroness of the nation, invoked in times of war and peace, sought out by pilgrims seeking healing, consolation, or simply a moment of quiet in a country that has known more than its share of unrest. On any given day, visitors climb the spiral stairs to the base of the statue, pray before the small chapel at her feet, and light candles with intentions written on scraps of paper. Many are Christian. Many are not.
Harissa is not a quiet shrine. It is busy, and the Téléférique cable car from Jounieh delivers a steady stream of visitors with cameras and guidebooks. But even here, among the crowds, the atmosphere retains a recognizable weight. The statue, the sea, the mountain, and the centuries of prayer that have gathered on this hillside combine into something that visitors often describe as impossible to put into words.
The Statue and the Basilica
The bronze statue of Our Lady of Lebanon was cast in France in the early 1900s by the sculptor Giscard of Lyon. It was commissioned by Maronite Patriarch Elias Hoayek to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which Pope Pius IX had proclaimed in 1854. The statue was transported to Lebanon by sea, installed on a stone tower on the hilltop at Harissa, and inaugurated on May 3, 1908.
The statue itself is about 8.5 meters tall and weighs approximately 15 tons. The Virgin is depicted with her hands open and extended, welcoming pilgrims who approach from below. The statue is painted white, which gives it visibility from far out at sea and from the coastal highway. The stone tower on which it stands is about 20 meters high and is hollow, with a narrow spiral staircase winding up inside it. Pilgrims climb the staircase to reach a small circular chapel at the base of the statue.
At the foot of the tower stands the Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon, a large modern church completed in the 1990s. The basilica was designed by the French-Lebanese architect Pierre El Khoury and is notable for its contemporary style: a sweeping roof shaped like the prow of a ship, large glass walls, and an interior that can accommodate several thousand worshippers. The contrast between the old stone tower with its white statue and the modern basilica beside it is deliberate. The site is intended to hold both the memory of the shrine's 1908 origins and the ongoing life of the Maronite Church in the present day.
The History of the Shrine
The hill of Harissa has been a site of Christian presence for centuries. Monks and hermits lived in the surrounding caves during the Ottoman period, and small chapels dotted the mountainside. The decision to place a major Marian shrine here at the turn of the twentieth century was both spiritual and symbolic. The Maronite Church, emerging from difficult decades of Ottoman rule and the civil conflicts of 1860, wanted a visible sign of Marian patronage over Lebanon.
Patriarch Elias Hoayek, who commissioned the statue, was also a key figure in the diplomatic efforts that led to the creation of Greater Lebanon in 1920. For many Lebanese, the Virgin at Harissa became associated with the birth of the modern Lebanese state. She stands, in popular devotion, as a kind of guardian of the country itself.
The shrine grew steadily through the twentieth century. Roads were improved, the Téléférique cable car opened in 1965, and the basilica was added in the 1990s. Throughout the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), Harissa remained a place of pilgrimage and refuge. Many Lebanese speak of praying at Our Lady of Lebanon during the worst years of the war, asking for the safety of their families and the peace of their country.
In 1997, Pope John Paul II visited the shrine during his pastoral visit to Lebanon. He prayed at the foot of the statue and addressed a crowd of tens of thousands in the basilica plaza. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI also visited Harissa during his apostolic journey to Lebanon. Both visits reaffirmed the shrine's status as one of the major Marian sites of the Christian East.
Marian Devotion in Lebanon
Devotion to the Virgin Mary is woven deeply into the fabric of Lebanese Christianity. Every village has a chapel or church dedicated to Our Lady under some title: Our Lady of the Fields, Our Lady of the Wheat, Our Lady of Bzommar, Our Lady of the Seed. The month of May is dedicated to Marian devotion, with evening rosary gatherings held in parishes and neighborhoods across the country.
Within this landscape of local devotions, Our Lady of Lebanon at Harissa occupies a unique place. She is the national Marian shrine, the patroness of Lebanon, the figure to whom the entire country is entrusted. The title "Sayyidat Lubnan" (Our Lady of Lebanon) carries both religious and cultural weight. It is invoked at moments of national significance, from weddings to political crises.
Lebanese Muslims also hold the Virgin Mary in high regard. In the Quran, Maryam (Mary) is the only woman mentioned by name, and she is spoken of with honor as the mother of the prophet Issa (Jesus). Many Muslim visitors come to Harissa to pray at the statue, to light candles, or simply to be present at the site. This shared devotion is one of the remarkable features of Our Lady of Lebanon and reflects the complex religious culture of the country itself.
The Pilgrimage Experience
A visit to Harissa typically begins at the base of the hill in Jounieh, where the Téléférique cable car departs from the coastal road. The cable car journey takes about nine minutes and rises roughly 650 meters, passing above red-tiled rooftops, pine forests, and terraced vineyards. The views from the cable car of the Bay of Jounieh are among the finest in Lebanon, especially in the late afternoon when the light catches the sea.
At the top, a short walk leads to the shrine complex. Pilgrims typically climb the spiral staircase inside the stone tower to the small chapel at the base of the statue, where candles are lit and prayers offered. The chapel is tiny, often crowded, and quiet despite the number of visitors. From the viewing platform at the top, the panorama opens across the bay toward Beirut to the south and the mountains of Keserwan to the north.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon hosts Mass daily in both Arabic and French. The Maronite Divine Liturgy is celebrated according to the Antiochene tradition, with parts of the service still chanted in Syriac, the liturgical language of the Maronite Church. Confessions are heard in multiple languages, and the shrine's chapel of perpetual adoration is open to visitors throughout the day.
Many pilgrims combine a visit to Harissa with a trip to the Monastery of Saint Maron at Annaya, the home of Saint Charbel, about an hour farther north along the coastal road. Harissa and Annaya together form a traditional Maronite pilgrimage circuit: the Virgin Mary at the gateway to Lebanon, and the hermit saint deep in the mountains.
Visiting Harissa Today
Getting there: Harissa is about 20 kilometers north of Beirut, roughly a 40-minute drive via the coastal highway to Jounieh and then uphill on a winding mountain road. The Téléférique cable car from Jounieh is the most scenic way to arrive and operates daily except Mondays. A return ticket is modestly priced and purchased at the lower station.
What to see: The bronze statue and the stone tower, reached by a spiral staircase inside the tower. The Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon, with daily Mass and adoration chapel. The small chapel at the base of the statue, where candles and intentions are left. The panoramic viewpoint overlooking the Bay of Jounieh. A range of chapels representing various Christian traditions with a presence at the site, including Melkite, Armenian, and Chaldean.
Hours: The shrine is open daily from early morning until evening. There is no entrance fee. Modest dress is expected, as this is an active place of worship. The Téléférique generally runs from about 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., with extended hours in summer.
Best time to visit: The first Sunday of May, the feast of Our Lady of Lebanon, is the largest pilgrimage day of the year. The entire month of May sees significant Marian devotion and evening prayer gatherings. Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) offer the most pleasant weather. Summer is warm but breezy at the hilltop. Winter can bring rain and low clouds that obscure the view.
Combining your visit: Harissa is well placed for broader exploration. Jounieh below offers restaurants, seafront cafés, and the starting point for the cable car. The ancient port of Byblos is a short drive up the coast. Annaya and the Saint Charbel pilgrimage route are about an hour north. The Qadisha Valley, the holy valley of the Maronite monks, is roughly two hours north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Our Lady of Lebanon located?
Our Lady of Lebanon is located in Harissa, a hilltop village in the Keserwan district of Mount Lebanon, about 20 kilometers north of Beirut. The shrine sits at an altitude of roughly 650 meters overlooking the Bay of Jounieh and the Mediterranean Sea. The nearest town is Jounieh, from which the Téléférique cable car ascends to the shrine.
Who built the Our Lady of Lebanon statue?
The bronze statue was cast in Lyon, France, by the sculptor Giscard in the early 1900s. It was commissioned by the Maronite Patriarch Elias Hoayek to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Pope Pius IX's proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. The statue was inaugurated at Harissa on May 3, 1908.
How do I get to Harissa from Beirut?
The fastest way is by car or taxi: about 40 minutes via the coastal highway to Jounieh, then a 15-minute drive up the mountain road. The most scenic way is the Téléférique cable car from Jounieh, which takes nine minutes and offers panoramic views of the bay. Organized pilgrimage tours from Beirut also include Harissa as a primary stop.
Is Our Lady of Lebanon a Maronite or Catholic shrine?
Our Lady of Lebanon is a Maronite Catholic shrine, administered by the Maronite Patriarchate in communion with Rome. However, it is visited by Christians of all denominations, including Eastern Orthodox, Armenian, Chaldean, and Latin Catholics. Many Lebanese Muslims also visit Harissa to honor the Virgin Mary, who is deeply respected in Islam as the mother of the prophet Issa.
When is the feast of Our Lady of Lebanon?
The feast of Our Lady of Lebanon is celebrated on the first Sunday of May. It is the largest pilgrimage day at Harissa, with tens of thousands of faithful attending. The feast falls within the Marian month of May, during which parishes across Lebanon hold evening rosary gatherings and Marian processions.
Did Pope John Paul II visit Harissa?
Yes. Pope John Paul II visited the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in May 1997 during his pastoral visit to Lebanon. He prayed at the foot of the statue and addressed a crowd of tens of thousands at the basilica. Pope Benedict XVI also visited Harissa in September 2012 during his apostolic journey to Lebanon, signing the post-synodal exhortation "Ecclesia in Medio Oriente" at the shrine.
See also: Annaya Monastery, the home of Saint Charbel. Qadisha Valley, the holy valley of the Maronite monks. Saint Charbel Makhlouf. The Maronite tradition.