Ain Ebel
Encyclopedia
Ain Ebel is a village located in the Caza of Bint Jbeil
in the Nabatiye Governorate
in Lebanon
.
Each summer, a grand festival is organized in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festival culminates on the Assumption of Mary on August 15. Outdoor events and open-air concerts are held in the village's square, and the festivities peak with a procession of the Virgin Mary icon.
Ain-Ebel is also known for its religious structures among which are the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, St Mary's Chapel, Our Lady of Ain Ebel Maronite Catholic Church,
Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church, and the New Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church.
, a French historian and philosopher who was sent by Emperor Napoleon III
to Lebanon, found ancient graves (see Mission de Phénicie (1865-1874)
). On one of the graves, Renan discovered a bas-relief
of Apollo
and Artemis
. The relief was transported to France
where it remains today at the Louvre. In 2011 and after months of negotiation, the Musée du Louvre agreed to make an exact replica of the bas-relief, which was delivered to the municipality of Ain Ebel in November.
In his book, Salut Jerusalem: Les memoires d'un chretien de Tyr a l'epoque des Croisades, the Lebanese historian, Bechara Menassa, wrote that the people of Ain Ebel were in touch with the Crusaders in Toron
, modern Tebnine
. Menassa described how a Frankish monk killed a wild animal in Ain Ebel.
s, almond
s, chestnut
s, pecan
s, grape
s, fig
s, pomegranate
s, and apple
s. There are three natural springs in Ain Ebel, including Tarabnine, Tahta and Hourrié (Freedom Spring).
) as well as Armenian Catholic. The village is made up of the: Andraos, Alam, Al-Akh, Abu Ghanam, Ajaka, Amouri, Atmé, Ghostine (also Lubbos and Lopez in Brazil), Barakat, Berberian, Chaaya (also spelled Shaaya), Chbat, Chehadé, Diab (Diap and Diep in Argentina), Dick (also spelled Deek), Farah, Haddad, Hasrouny, Jichy, Khoreich (also spelled Khreiche, Khraish in the US and Canada and Kreis in Argentina), Lallous, Matar, Najem, Sader, Sakr (also spelled Saqr or Sacre), Sidaoui and other families.
s (Saints-Cœurs and Saint Joseph) and one public school. There are four historic churches, built in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, that have been recently restored.
Chapels
Churches
Convents
Shrines
on August 15. Outdoor events and open-air concerts are held in the village's square. The festivities peak with a procession of the Virgin Mary icon.
There are several renowned journalists from Ain Ebel. Among them are Jean Diab who wrote for the Revue du Liban, the late Nasrat Khoreich who wrote for both Annahar and L'Orient Le Jour, and Wafai Diab, who was believed to be the first Arabic-language journalist to interview an American president at the White House
.
The General of the Lebanese Army, Jean Kahwaji
, spent his childhood years in Ain Ebel, the birthplace of his mother.
, Qaouzah
, Rmaich
, and Yaroun
, was caught in the crossfire
of Hezbollah and the Israeli army.
Due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in South Lebanon, many houses in Ain Ebel were destroyed.
In Arabic it is عين ابل :ar:عين إبل.
Bint Jbeil District
The Bint Jbeil District is a district in the Nabatiyeh Governorate of Lebanon. The capital of the district is Bint Jbeil....
in the Nabatiye Governorate
Nabatiye Governorate
Nabatieh Governorate is one of the six governorates of Lebanon. The area of this governorate is 1,058 km². The capital is Nabatieh.-Districts:The governorate is divided into four districts containing 115 municipalities...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Etymology
Historians as Anis Freiha and Fr Youakim Moubarak believe that the name of Ain-Ebel derives from two words,"Ain" and "Ibl".The first means spring as many places in Lebanon are named,and the second word means irrigation (سقي).Combined in one (Ain-Ebel) the two words mean the spring of irrigation. Usually "Ibl" is opposed to Baal, the greater God associated to his female divinity Astarte, or Diane, Goddess of fertility and hunting in the old cananean religions. "Ibl", being an agriculture system by which water is draining, Baal represents the rain water of God. The Arabic language maintains this word (Baal) to mean the agriculture system by which the soil is irrigated by the rain coming from the nature or God. It is not by chance that the denomination of Ibl-El-Saqui village is derived from the cananean first word joined to its second translation Arabic word.About Ain Ebel
Arousset el Jnoub, Ain-Ebel, is known for its beautiful scenery, amiable people, and jovial atmosphere. Situated in the heart of the South, Ain-Ebel occupies several hills with elevations ranging from 750 to 850 meters above sea level.Each summer, a grand festival is organized in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festival culminates on the Assumption of Mary on August 15. Outdoor events and open-air concerts are held in the village's square, and the festivities peak with a procession of the Virgin Mary icon.
Ain-Ebel is also known for its religious structures among which are the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, St Mary's Chapel, Our Lady of Ain Ebel Maronite Catholic Church,
Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church, and the New Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church.
History
Ain Ebel is a historic village with numerous archaeologic sites that date to Biblical times. On the outskirts of the village is an area called Chalaboune where Ernest RenanErnest Renan
Ernest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
, a French historian and philosopher who was sent by Emperor Napoleon III
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
to Lebanon, found ancient graves (see Mission de Phénicie (1865-1874)
Mission de Phénicie (1865-1874)
Mission de Phénicie written by Ernest Renan, published by Imprimerie impériale in Paris 1864, then republished by Beyrouth in 1997In October 1860 Renan was entrusted with an archaeological mission to Lebanon....
). On one of the graves, Renan discovered a bas-relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
of Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
and Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
. The relief was transported to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where it remains today at the Louvre. In 2011 and after months of negotiation, the Musée du Louvre agreed to make an exact replica of the bas-relief, which was delivered to the municipality of Ain Ebel in November.
In his book, Salut Jerusalem: Les memoires d'un chretien de Tyr a l'epoque des Croisades, the Lebanese historian, Bechara Menassa, wrote that the people of Ain Ebel were in touch with the Crusaders in Toron
Toron
Toron, now Tibnin or Tebnine in southern Lebanon, was a major Crusader castle, built in the Lebanon mountains on the road from Tyre to Damascus....
, modern Tebnine
Tebnine
Tebnine is a Mediterranean village spread across several hills located about east of Tyre , in the heart of what is known as "Jabal Amel" or the mountain of "Amel". "Jabal Amel" designates the plateau situated between the western mountain range of Lebanon and the Galilee...
. Menassa described how a Frankish monk killed a wild animal in Ain Ebel.
Geography
Ain Ebel occupies several hills with elevation ranging from 750 to 850 meters above sea level. The village enjoys four seasons with autumn and spring being mild but rainy, winter being cold and snowy and summer being dry and very pleasant with average temperatures between 25–27 °C (77–80.6 F). The people of Ain Ebel cultivate their land and produce oliveOlive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s, almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
s, chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
s, pecan
Pecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
s, grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s, fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
s, pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
s, and apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s. There are three natural springs in Ain Ebel, including Tarabnine, Tahta and Hourrié (Freedom Spring).
Demographics
The people of Ain Ebel are Lebanese and are followers of the Catholic Church (Maronite and Greek MelkiteMelkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
) as well as Armenian Catholic. The village is made up of the: Andraos, Alam, Al-Akh, Abu Ghanam, Ajaka, Amouri, Atmé, Ghostine (also Lubbos and Lopez in Brazil), Barakat, Berberian, Chaaya (also spelled Shaaya), Chbat, Chehadé, Diab (Diap and Diep in Argentina), Dick (also spelled Deek), Farah, Haddad, Hasrouny, Jichy, Khoreich (also spelled Khreiche, Khraish in the US and Canada and Kreis in Argentina), Lallous, Matar, Najem, Sader, Sakr (also spelled Saqr or Sacre), Sidaoui and other families.
Schools
There are three schools in the village: two private schoolPrivate school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s (Saints-Cœurs and Saint Joseph) and one public school. There are four historic churches, built in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, that have been recently restored.
Religious Structures
- Chapel of the Sacred Hearts
- Saint Mary's Chapel
Churches
- Our Lady of Ain Ebel Maronite Catholic Church
- Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church
- The New Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church
Convents
- ConventConventA convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
of the Sacred HeartSacred HeartThe Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
s
Shrines
- Saint CharbelCharbelCharbel, Sharbel, or Sharbel Makhluf, , born as Youssef Antoun Makhlouf in Bekaa Kafra in northern Lebanon, was a Syriac-Maronite monk and priest, canonized saint by the Roman Catholic Church and now venerated world-wide.-His Life:...
Shrine - Our Lady of LourdesOur Lady of LourdesOur Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
Monument
Holidays
Each summer, a grand festival is organized in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festival culminates on the Assumption of MaryAssumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
on August 15. Outdoor events and open-air concerts are held in the village's square. The festivities peak with a procession of the Virgin Mary icon.
People from Ain Ebel
The most prominent figure from Ain Ebel is the late Cardinal Antonios Boutros Khoreich (also known as Anthony Peter Khoraich) who was the second Lebanese Patriarch to become cardinal of the Catholic Church.Other religious figures:Late Mgr Elias Farah,Mgr Maroun Sader,Archmandrite Boulos Samaha,Late Mgr Albert Khoreich, Mgr Elie barakat.There are several renowned journalists from Ain Ebel. Among them are Jean Diab who wrote for the Revue du Liban, the late Nasrat Khoreich who wrote for both Annahar and L'Orient Le Jour, and Wafai Diab, who was believed to be the first Arabic-language journalist to interview an American president at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.
The General of the Lebanese Army, Jean Kahwaji
Jean Kahwaji
Jean Kahwaji is a Lebanese general and present commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces.-Background:Kahwaji is married to Marlene Sfeir and they have three children, Jad, Joanna and Joe. He is a Maronite Christian and had headed the army's 12th Infantry Brigade since 2002.Kahwaji joined the army in...
, spent his childhood years in Ain Ebel, the birthplace of his mother.
In military conflict
In July 2006, Ain Ebel, like other villages that string Lebanon's southern border, such as DebelDebel
Debel may refer to:* Debel, Lebanon* Debel, Oromo Name, Oromo, Ethiopia, African name for a boy meaning 'in addition to, gift of '* Debel, Ethiopia, a town in the Afar Region...
, Qaouzah
Qaouzah
Qaouzah is a Lebanese village located in the Caza of Bint Jbeil in the Nabatiye Governorate in Lebanon.-Geography:Qaouzah occupies a hill with elevation ranging from 700 to 800 meters above sea level...
, Rmaich
Rmaich
Rmeish is located in south Lebanon, Caza Beint Jbeil near the Lebanese-Israeli border occupying an area of 20 km2. The ruins found in the village indicate that the area was occupied by the Romans and the Crusaders at some stage in history...
, and Yaroun
Yaroun
Yaroun is a Lebanese village located in the Caza of Bint Jbeil in the Nabatiye Governorate in Lebanon.-Geography:...
, was caught in the crossfire
Crossfire
A crossfire is a military term for the siting of weapons so that their arcs of fire overlap. This tactic came to prominence in World War I....
of Hezbollah and the Israeli army.
Due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in South Lebanon, many houses in Ain Ebel were destroyed.
Variation of Spelling
The name of the village is also spelled Ainebel Aïn Ebel, Ain Ebl, ‘Ayn Ibil,‘Ain Ibil, Aïn Ibel, Ain Ibel, Ain Ebel, Ain Ibl, or`Ain Ibil.In Arabic it is عين ابل :ar:عين إبل.
External links
- http://ain-ebel.org
- http://www.khoreich.com
- http://ain-ebel.ca
- http://www.fallingrain.com/world/LE/2/Ayn_Ibil.html
- http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001361.html The siege of Ain Ebel]
- http://www.ourladyofainebel.org