Cultural aspects in Christian and Islamic religions - unesdoc - Unesco

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Monasteries
The word ‘monastery’ indicates the buildings that
started to appear in the early fourth century in
which monks or nuns would live in community.
They practiced common religious rituals and were
submitted to special laws in their congregation.
The monastery is headed by a Superior General.
In Catholic Churches, the congregation of monks
elects the Superior who is sometimes called abbot.
In Orthodox churches, the Bishop of the diocese
appoints the head of the monastery.
The building of monasteries thrived in Lebanon in
the time of the Crusades and they included:
Crusaders’ monasteries: Crusaders built
them with the local man power drawing
inspiration from monasteries of Cistercians
– following the Bourgogne School, in
France. This art is in fact quite simple, with
symmetrical measurements, barrel vaults,
rib vaults, close pillars and decorated
crowns; Balamand monastery is an example
of these monasteries.
Local monasteries: they are spread on
mountain tops, in valleys, caves. They are
small simple churches with a square outer
appearance, decorated interior. In most
times, they include wall decorations and
decorated archways.
Each monastery includes lodging which is
particularly simple and adequate for ascetics; it is
called the fortress – forbidden to strangers outside
the congregation that lives in the monastery. In
every monastery, there is a church for the monks
and nuns to pray and celebrate the Eucharist;
this church is open to all. An example of these
monasteries is that of Our Lady of Ilij in Mayfuq.
It is more like a peasant’s home: the ground part
includes a church and cellars that are next to the
place where monks work. It is the perfect example
of simplicity and down-to-earth monastic life for
that special period of time.
From the Sixteenth Century to our days, churches
and monasteries have spread throughout Lebanon.
Their architecture depends on their liturgical rite
and fits monastic life. Monasteries have acquired
growing importance; their distinguishing features
are as follows:
or a well in the middle and is surrounded by
halls;
harvest;
These monasteries are very simply decorated,
influenced as they are by oriental art with rib vaults.
These monasteries include Our Lady of Tamish
(Artemis), Hrash, Quzhayyah, Saint Elias Shuwayyah
of the Greek Orthodox, Sayyidat al-Bisharah in
Zar’aya, etc. The architecture of the church evolved
in Lebanon so did its decoration with the growing
social freedom; this evolution would slacken as the
margin of freedom was reduced.
Ever since the early centuries in Christianity, there
was a will to consecrate individual life to God by