St Paul's Cathedral (Junia)

The famous statue of the Virgin Mary on the Lebanese Mount Harissa has more than twenty temples and monasteries belonging to various faiths. One of the most beautiful and majestic is undoubtedly the Cathedral of St. Paul.

The temple belongs to the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, which separated from the Antiochian Orthodox Church in 1724. The Melkite Church performs divine services according to the Byzantine rite. In the Byzantine style, the largest Melkite temple in Lebanon was built.

Construction of the multi-domed cathedral began in 1947 and lasted several decades. In addition to the impressive appearance, the interiors of the cathedral are also striking, richly decorated with Byzantine mosaics depicting Christ the Almighty, the Communion of the Apostles, the Church Fathers and scenes from the Bible.

In 2012, St. Paul’s Cathedral in Harissa was visited by Pope Benedict XVI.