The Society of the Immaculate Conception without stain in the parish of St. John Mark – Jubail is one of the oldest societies in Lebanon. It is the fourth or fifth society in the history of societies in Lebanon. Its members have been committed to regular prayer, serving the house of God, acts of love, and mercy.
We can divide the history of this society into three stages:
The first stage: The Dual Society of the Immaculate Conception (1831-1879)
It is widely known that the Society of the Immaculate Conception for men in the St. John Mark parish – Byblos, was established in 1831. However, the membership registers dating back to 1877 show that its members included both men and women.
The second stage: The Holy Dead Society for Women (1879-1968)
The women separated from the men and established the Holy Dead Society in 1879 during the presidency of Father Ignatius Issa Al Maadi, under the guidance of Sister Helene Safir, a nun of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and a disciple of Saint Rafqa. In 1965, another society branched off from the Holy Dead Society for Women in the St. George parish, also affiliated with the Lebanese Maronite Order.
The third stage: The Society of the Immaculate Conception for Women (1968-present)
It is noteworthy that the Society of the Immaculate Conception, for both men and women in the St. John Mark parish – Byblos, was established in 1831 before the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception dogma by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854. The Holy Dead Society for Women transformed into the Society of the Immaculate Conception officially in 1968. In addition to the St. George branch in 1965, the following societies branched off: the Society of the Immaculate Conception in the St. Takla parish in Qartaba in 1982, the Society of the Immaculate Conception in the St. James parish – Byblos in 1990, and the Society of the Immaculate Conception in the St. Peter parish – Byblos in 1990.
Currently, the Society of the Immaculate Conception for women consists of 120 ladies who gather every Wednesday at 8 AM for prayer, recitation of the obligatory prayers, and discussion of society matters.
The Society of the Immaculate Conception for men consists of 20 individuals who gather every Sunday at 7 AM for prayer, recitation of the obligatory prayers, and discussion of society matters.
