Maronite Cathedral of Saint George, Beirut

Saint George Maronite Cathedral (Arabic: كاتدرائية مار جرجس للموارنة) is the cathedral of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut, located in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Constructed between 1884 and 1894 under Archbishop Joseph Debs, the cathedral stands on the site of an earlier 18th-century church dedicated to Saint George. Its Neoclassical facade and interior draw inspiration from the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, featuring a basilica plan with a coffered gilded ceiling, marble and stucco walls, and a prominent altar canopy. The cathedral suffered extensive damage during the Lebanese civil war and was further affected by the 2020 Beirut explosion. It has undergone multiple restorations, including a major post-war rehabilitation completed in 1997 and reopening in 2000 by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. The cathedral houses the cathedra of the Archbishop of Beirut and the chair used by Pope John Paul II during his 1997 visit. In 2016, a new 72-meter campanile was inaugurated, symbolizing interfaith harmony by matching the height of nearby Al-Amin mosque minarets. Beneath the cathedral's forecourt, significant archaeological remains, including a Hellenistic structure and Roman street fragments, have been preserved. Construction The Cathedral of Saint George was built by Monsignor Joseph Debs, the Archbishop of Beirut, on the site of an earlier church that was also dedicated to the same saint. The earlier structure was built in 1755 to serve the Maronites of Beirut. Work began in 1884 using Roman columns from the temple of Deir El Qalaa in Beit Mery. The edifice was completed and consecrated on Palm Sunday in 1894. Built on the plan of a basilica with its nave and two lateral aisles separated by two rows of columns, the cathedral has a façade of neo-classical style designed by Italian architect Giuseppe Maggiore. The interior bears a general resemblance to that of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. The nave is covered with a coffered ceiling with gilded and a double wooden structure, covered with golden leaves on a beige background. The walls are decorated with stucco and marble. Above the main altar is a canopy four columns. At the rear, in the choir, is the cathedra (bishop throne) of the Archbishop of Beirut, and the chair used by Pope John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Lebanon in 1997. Architecture Inspired by the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Saint George Maronite Cathedral was constructed between 1884 and 1894 and inaugurated by Bishop Youssef Debs. The Maronite community of Beirut previously worshiped in a small nearby church dating back to 1753. In 1954, engineer Antoun Tabet carried out restoration work inside the cathedral. Originally designed in the shape of a cross, the transept was shortened, and arches were added at both ends. Severely damaged during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), the cathedral was fully rehabilitated by 1997, restoring its original Renaissance cruciform form. It was re-inaugurated in April 2000. Beneath the forecourt of the cathedral’s annex, significant archaeological remains were uncovered and preserved, including a Hellenistic structure, part of the Roman Decumanus Maximus colonnaded street, and an Ottoman wall. On 19 November 2016, Beirut Archbishop Paul Matar inaugurated a new campanile that took ten years to complete. The campanile stands 72 meters (236 ft) tall; the original design planned a 75 meters (246 ft) tower to match the height of the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica’s campanile in Rome. According to the archbishop, reducing the height to equal that of the minarets of the adjacent Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque symbolizes a message of interfaith solidarity and harmony. On 4 August 2020, the cathedral sustained damage in the Beirut explosion. Timeline 1884–1894: Construction of the cathedral, which was inspired by the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. 1954: Restoration works inside the cathedral undertaken by Antoun Tabet. 1975–1990: Civil War badly damaged the cathedral. 1997: Post war rehabilitation of the Cathedral led to the recovery of its original Renaissance cruciform shape. Significant archaeological remains were unearthed and preserved. April 2000: Cathedral inauguration. 19 November 2016: Campanile inauguration. 4 August 2020: Beirut explosions damaged the cathedral. Gallery See also Beirut Central District Maronite Church – Eastern Catholic church Maronite Christianity in Lebanon – Religious group in Lebanon associated with the Catholic ChurchPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Christianity in Lebanon Saint Elias Maronite Church, Kantari – Church in Beirut Garden of Forgiveness Further reading Tubiya ABI 'AD, Katidra'iya Mar Jirjis al-Maruniya, Beirut: Chahine Printing Press, 2000. Sources Kassir, Samir (2003) Histoire de Beyrouth, Fayard, Paris. ISBN 2-213-02980-6, Les lieux de culte au Liban. Ministère du Tourisme, Beyrouth. References External links https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grabung_arch%C3%A4ologisches_museum_st_georg_beirut.jpg