Bkerké
Encyclopedia
Bkerké is the See of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate, located 650 m above the bay of Jounieh
in Lebanon
.
The See of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate was originally in Antioch
, but due to persecution, it moved first to Saint Maron's Monastery on the Orontes River and then to varied locations in Mount Lebanon
, such as Kfarhay, Yanouh, Mayfouq
, Lehfed, Habeel, Kfifan, Al Kafr, and Hardeen in the Byblos
region. It then moved to Qannoubine in the Kadisha Valley
because of intensified persecution and remained from 1440 to 1823 when it moved to Dimane
and lastly, in 1830, to Bkerké. Today, Maronite Patriarchs use Dimane as a summer residence and Bkerké as a winter one.
The earlier building on Bkerké site was a monastery settled in 1703. In 1830 it became the winter residence of the Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch. The present red roofed structure was built in 1893 by Patriarch John Peter El Hajj
.
Jounieh
Jounieh is a Mediterranean coastal city about 16 kilometers north of Beirut, Lebanon. Jounieh is known for its seaside resorts, pubs, restaurants and nightclubs, as well as its old stone souk, ferry, and cablecar , which takes passengers up the mountain to the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in...
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...
.
The See of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate was originally in Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, but due to persecution, it moved first to Saint Maron's Monastery on the Orontes River and then to varied locations in Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
, such as Kfarhay, Yanouh, Mayfouq
Mayfouq
Mayfouq, also Mayfouk is a Lebanese village in Byblos district, Mount Lebanon.it is located at 60 km from Beirut, with altitudes that varies from 800m to 1100mIt was the second Maronite Patriarchal location in Lebanon.- Main Interests :...
, Lehfed, Habeel, Kfifan, Al Kafr, and Hardeen in the Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
region. It then moved to Qannoubine in the Kadisha Valley
Kadisha Valley
The Kadisha Valley is a valley that lies within the Becharre and Zgharta Districts of the North Governorate of Lebanon. The valley is a deep gorge carved by the Kadisha River, also known as the Nahr Abu Ali when it reaches Tripoli...
because of intensified persecution and remained from 1440 to 1823 when it moved to Dimane
Dimane
Dimane is a mountainous village in the Bsharri District, in the North Governorate of Lebanon. It sits at approximately 1400m above sea level, overlooking the Kadisha Valley....
and lastly, in 1830, to Bkerké. Today, Maronite Patriarchs use Dimane as a summer residence and Bkerké as a winter one.
The earlier building on Bkerké site was a monastery settled in 1703. In 1830 it became the winter residence of the Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch. The present red roofed structure was built in 1893 by Patriarch John Peter El Hajj
John Peter El Hajj
John XII Peter El Hajj , , was the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1890 until his death in 1898.-Life:...
.