Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery

Perched high on the slopes of the Anti Lebanon Mountains, Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery has stood for nearly fifteen centuries as one of the most revered Christian sanctuaries in the Middle East. Founded in 547 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, its origin is rooted in the legendary vision of the Virgin Mary, who is said to have appeared to the emperor in the form of a gazelle and directed him to build her a church on that very rock. Since then, the monastery has been a continuous center of worship, guarding the Shaghoura icon — traditionally attributed to Saint Luke — which has drawn pilgrims from across the Levant and beyond, many seeking healing or protection. Through centuries of political change, invasions, and shifting empires, Our Lady of Saidnaya has remained a beacon of faith, a custodian of Byzantine liturgical tradition, and a symbol of the enduring Christian presence in Syria, its feast day on September 8 still gathering thousands in a living link to the city’s ancient spiritual heritage.