Cypriot Maronite Arabic or Sanna: A Dying Language

An AFP report on the Cypriot Maronite Arabic language, also known as Sanna, caught my attention few years back. Unfortunately, and based on this most recent article, no substantial efforts have been done to save it. In fact, according to linguists, Cypriot Arabic will cease to exist within the next 50 years if nothing changes. Why is this language severely endangered? - The key reason is the Turkish invasion in 1974 that divided the island…

Forced Underage Marriages Are on The Rise in Lebanon

Underage marriage is still a big problem in Lebanon and has unfortunately increased during the pandemic. Back in 2017, UNICEF revealed that for 1 in 25 girls was married before 18 in Lebanon. Despite years of campaigning to set the minimum marriage at 18, the real problem remains the same: We don't have a unified personal status law to dictate matters such as inheritance, custody of children and the legal age of marriage. Instead, these…
Middle East

Civil Marriage Now Allowed in Abu Dhabi

1 year ago
The UAE has issued a new law regulating personal status matters for non-Muslims and applying civil principles in organizing family cases. In other words, non-muslims will be allowed to marry, divorce and get joint child ...
Information

Lebanon Has 2,405 Churches, 1,502 Mosques & 3,315 Schools & Universities

2 years ago
A study by International Information, a Beirut-based research & consultancy firm, revealed that there are 3,907 churches and mosques in Lebanon as well as 3,315 schools and universities. The study also listed the churches/mosques for ...
Baladi

Visit Our Lady of Lebanon (Harissa) Virtually

2 years ago
The month of May is a time of honor and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary for Catholics around the world. In Lebanon, the most visited shrine is Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa whereas ...
Baladi

Make a Virtual Visit To Seven Lebanese Churches This Year

2 years ago
Last year, I shared a blogpost on churches you can visit virtually around the world for the The Seven Churches Visitation tradition. This year, XYZ Lebanon setup a website to give all Lebanese Christians the ...
Religion

Make a Virtual Visit to Seven Churches This Year

3 years ago
Since the Seven Churches visitation is not possible this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, here are seven churches from around the world that you can virtually visit online: 1- St. Peter’s Basilica [Virtual Tour] ...
Baladi

Beirut Maronite Archbishop Set to Help Poor Families Enroll in Schools

3 years ago
New Beirut Maronite Archbishop Boulos AbdelSater, who replaced Boulos Matar back in June, is taking several measures to try help needy families and members of his church. First rumors spread that he sold some of ...
Baladi

11,000 Candles Light Up Bkaakafra on St. Charbel’s Feast Day

3 years ago
Lebanon’s most beloved saint, Mar Charbel is celebrated on the third Sunday of July. On this occasion, over 10,000 candles were lit up in Mar Charbel’s town of Bkaakafra. I found few pictures shared by ...
Information

Patriarch Elias Hoayek Declared Venerable by Pope Francis

3 years ago
Elias Boutros Howayek, the 72nd Patriarch of Antioch for the Maronites, and widely considered as the founder of modern Lebanon, was declared venerable yesterday by Pope Francis. Howayek was elected Patriarch of Antioch from 1899 ...
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