History
History
Upon his arrival in the city of Byblos, Saint Peter established a church in the name of John the Baptist and appointed his disciple, John Mark, as its bishop to oversee the affairs of the Christian community there. In the year 555, a devastating earthquake struck the entire Lebanese coast, including the church.
In 1111, the Crusaders began the construction of the current church, dedicating it to the Virgin Mary, fulfilling a vow they made during their siege of Byblos in 1103. The construction was completed in 1115. It is built in the Romanesque style, although it displays local and Byzantine architectural influences. This is evident in the dome of the baptistry, which dates to the thirteenth century. It is worth noting that this dome was adorned with a carved Corinthian stone piece, which was later transferred to the Louvre Museum in Paris.
In 1170, an earthquake struck the church, affecting its southern side, leading to its restoration during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries due to successive invasions by the Ayyubids, Crusaders, and Mamluks.
The period of Mamluk rule remains mysterious for the church. During the Ottoman rule, in the seventeenth century, a traveler reported that the church had been converted into a stable and a kitchen for the public and later into a military headquarters. It was divided into three floors: the first for horses, the second for soldiers, and the third for senior commanders.
History
History
In 1764, Prince Youssef Chehab handed over the dilapidated church, along with all the churches of Byblos, to the Lebanese Maronite Order, which restored it at its own expense and dedicated it to Saint John Mark, as indicated by the marble plaque at its northern entrance. The plaque reads, “This blessed structure was rebuilt during the reign of His Holiness Pope Pius VI, on the holy days of Patriarch Mar Youssef Estephan, with the help and support of Sheikh Saad Al-Khoury, under the divine guidance of Lebanese monasticism and the Maronite community. It was completed in 1776.”
In September 1840, during the uprising against the Egyptian occupation, the church was struck by the British navy from the sea, resulting in the collapse of its western facade. The Maronite Order restored it, at a cost of 8,000 piasters. It is said that the painting representing the Virgin Mary inside the church was donated as compensation for the damage it suffered.
The construction of the current magnificent bell dome dates to the early twentieth century, between 1904 and 1910. The roof was reinforced and cast in cement after the removal of the earthen roof, which occurred in 1938. The stained-glass windows were executed by the famous French artist Gabriel Loire, who reshaped them to harmonize with the structure of the church.
It is worth mentioning that the Directorate General of Antiquities conducted excavations between 1970 and 1975, revealing a Byzantine mosaic that is currently displayed in the garden east of the church.
It is important to note that the Lebanese Maronite Order has been serving the Church of Saint John Mark since 1766 to the present day.
In the year 1857, the bell was rehung on the church after the Sultan allowed the ringing of bells on churches, which was previously prohibited.
Restoration
Restoration
Restoration work on the church included the reconstruction of the marble altars, tiles, and the beautiful and exquisite railing separating the choir from the sanctuary (later removed), as well as the current bell dome, which dates back to the early 20th century, between 1904 and 1910. The roof reinforcement and cement pouring after removing the earthen roof were carried out in 1938. It is worth noting that the church was adorned with wall paintings, which were removed in 1945. The stained-glass windows were executed by the famous French artist Gabriel Loire, who redesigned them to harmonize with the structure of the church.
The General Directorate of Antiquities conducted excavations between 1970 and 1975, revealing Byzantine mosaics that are currently installed in the garden east of the church. They also focused on the rehabilitation of the church and its surroundings, re-paving it with limestone and graveling the exterior courtyards, replacing wooden doors, windows, and glass. The fence surrounding the church dates to 1989, and the sacristy was renovated in 1990.
The Maronite Lebanese Monastery has been serving the Church of St. John Mark since 1766 until the present day.
Baptism House Dome
Baptism House Dome
Described by Father Lamens in his book “Tasreeh al-Abasar” as “exquisite and delicate,” it is “a dome shaped like a hemisphere resting on four elliptical arches, with three visible arches.” It features “fine architectural and decorative work, with the fourth arch not visible as it is supported by the church wall.”
The construction of this dome, according to engineer Camille Enlart, dates to the beginning of the 13th century, and its style is Romanesque, although some decorations show Italian influence.
The southern side of the Baptism House dome used to be adorned with a carved stone piece in the Corinthian style, which, according to Ernest Renan, formed a threshold and a frontal frieze of a Roman temple. Renan transferred it to the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Colored Stained-Glass Windows
Colored Stained-Glass Windows
Colored stained-glass windows are considered one of the most beautiful treasures in Christian churches. They inspire and teach believers many spiritual truths and remain an essential part of church architecture.
There was a need to replace the existing glass windows with colored ones, and Gabriel Loire, the French glass artist, was commissioned to oversee their reformation in a way that would make the glass colors as harmonious as possible with the prevailing light while using patterns compatible with the church’s structure. It is worth mentioning that he used both lead technique and thermal shaping in his work.
Icons
Icons
- Image of Saint John the Baptist (1909).
- Image of Saint John Mark and Saint John Maron, the first patriarch of the Maronite Church, interceding with the Virgin Mary carrying the divine child, seated on a throne. Painted by the Lebanese artist Habib Srour in 1932.
- Unidentified historical image of Saint John Mark and Saint John Maron, with the Mother of God in the middle.
- Image of the Virgin Mary, which may have been presented by the English army as compensation for the accidental bombing of the church in 1840.
Archive
Archive
Most of the Antioch Church’s documents were carefully preserved by agents, guides of the fraternity (1831), and the servants of the parish who took turns as its leaders or resided in it. We can count 34 documents and evidence that include the handover of the monasticism to the church and to the shrines of Our Lady of the Sea (Maritime), Our Lady of the Gate, and Antioch. The selected document for this website is a testamentary evidence of the ruins of the churches in the city of Byblos, written by Prince Youssef Chehab in 1766. Its text reads:
“We hereby declare that we handed over the Grand Church in the city of Byblos to our beloved Lebanese monks, led by Father Emmanuel, their general head, and the well-known architect who takes care of it. We relieved them of the losses incurred from the pens of the Emir and others and authorized them to carry out all the necessary religious duties, not allowing anyone to interfere. We granted them the power of protection and maintenance, and they pledged themselves to rebuild, establish, and perfect it with all its requirements as necessary. They appointed priests to serve it, who should be faithful and complete in everything that pleases. If anyone among them becomes sick or unacceptable, they should call a secular priest under their authority. After they fulfill their obligations and act accordingly, we will not withdraw our support or accuse anyone. They can manage it as they wish, and we have issued this document for clarification, dated March 1180 Hijri corresponding to 1767 in the Christian era.”
Youssef Chehab
Archive
Archive
In this context, an important event is mentioned:
Sheikh Saad Al-Khouri sent a letter to Pope Pius VI in 1775, requesting His Holiness to grant full forgiveness to the believers who partake in the Eucharist at the Church of Saint John Mark in Jubail, belonging to the Lebanese Monastic Order. This request received a positive response, granting forgiveness. The text of the response reads: “Since it has been reported to His Holiness the Pope, by divine providence, in the name of Pope Pius VI, that a new church has been built in the city of Jubail in Mount Lebanon. This church is for the Maronite monks from the Lebanese Jubail Monastery, where they offer praise to God and celebrate the divine liturgy. His Holiness, through me, the undersigned, the Secretary of the Holy Faith Publishing Council, has graciously granted, to all repentant and recognized Christians who partake in the Holy Eucharist and visit the mentioned church on the feast of the Saint of this church, on the feast of the Dormition of our Lady Mary, and on the feast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, full and effective forgiveness for all times, binding and valid for the souls who, through the purifying punishments, offer supplications to God for a certain period of time, in order to eradicate vices and spread the Holy Faith.”
Estefan Borgias
Keeper of Secrets