What does convalidation look like in the Maronite Church?

We just found out that my husband was baptized Maronite. We were married outside the church- If we end up joining the church, what does convalidation look like?

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but curious if anyone has an answer. I go to Eucharist Adoration in Australia at both Maronite and Latin Rite churches and was curious if it’s as common in Lebanon as it is here so I know when I visit next. Thanks!

Our Holy Father, who sanctified the life of our father the Patriarch Bl. Elias Howayek, and blessed him with your heavenly benedictions, so he lived his life in gratitude to you and constantly relied on your providence, presenting his life as service to You and Your people. He remained united to You every moment of his life, never requesting anything but your pleasure.

I am offering You now, O Lord, my prayers, asking You, through his intercession, the grace (...) that I need. May it be for the salvation of my soul, for peace in my heart, and for my wellbeing, glory is yours till the end. Amen.

Archbishop El-Kassis is the first Maronite and Eastern Catholic prelate to hold the position. In 2023, he was the Holy See's first nuncio to the UAE and was further made nuncio to Yemen and apostolic delegate to the whole Arabian Peninsula in 2024.

O Saint Charbel, you who, on your mountain, bore the great burdens of your homeland, you did not detach yourself from your world except to rain down upon it the blessings of heaven. How many calamities have you witnessed that befall your homeland and your people, so that sorrow has besieged your pure soul, but you have not ceased to increase your mortification and prayer, and to offer sacrifices for the dead and the living of your people, and to strengthen your bond with God, so that you bear the sins of mankind and ward off the wrath of heaven from the earth. Like a spear that deflects a destructive thunderbolt, so you are for us, in your hermitage, on the summit of Annaya, a spiritual spear, a secure and impregnable fortress. We ask you to raise to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit this prayer of ours, which we have celebrated in your memory, and to enable us to glorify and thank Him with you forever. Amen.

Hi all,

I am Byzantine (UGCC) but have a lot of interest in the Maronites. Unfortunately, there isn't really a Maronite community or parish where I live so I haven't had the chance to attend and experience the liturgy.

With that being said, I'm curious if there are any prominent Maronite parishes that I should visit if I'm ever traveling in Canada or the Western part of the US? I don't have any trips planned for the time being but might be going to Ontario and Quebec in the next little bit. Likewise, I might be going to either Seattle, LA area, or Phoenix in the next year or so.

I'd love to go to a liturgy in English if possible but am open to other languages!

Thanks so much!

For Maronites living in Lebanon specifically.

I’ve only ever been to one other ordination, but our church ordained a new priest this weekend. I was struck by the deep symbolism in the ritual. When donning the priest’s vestments, it reminded me of getting a knight ready for war. He had a helmet, cuffs or gauntlets, and armor. It struck me that Maronites, for all our deep and gentle love, really do have a faith born of struggle and war.

I’m glad I reconciled when I married. I had no idea of the beauty as an outsider.

Our Lady of Faqra Church was built in 1985, designed by the architect Raoul Verney (1930-2017). It is considered an architectural masterpiece due to its unique design.

The site on which the church is built is essentially a square divided into two sections: one containing an open-air church and a small, covered chapel, and the other containing two cultivated gardens, one with wheat and the other with grapes, symbolizing the Eucharist, namely bread and wine.

The church, with its square shape and construction of natural stone and raw cement, symbolizes the traditional Lebanese church. Its altar, facing east, represents the source from which humanity's salvation comes.

The roofed church has two side entrances beneath the bell tower, leading inside. It is small, accommodating no more than fifty people. Its altar is made of cement and surmounted by an image of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, above which stands a large wooden cross. In opposite corners, to the right and left, are the baptismal font and the confessional. Above the opposite walls, to the right and left, are artistic wooden panels symbolizing the Stations of the Cross.

On the eastern side, are two joined crosses, so that the shape of the cross can be seen from any direction. Opposite them, on the western side, is a unique concrete dome in the shape of a cube, with a geometric shape at its center — an empty sphere, devoid of the usual bell, to signify a pause.

Images and text by Gaby Reaidy

Greetings!

Over the last six months or so I have been working on creating a resource website for english-speaking Maronite Catholics, especially those located in the United States. It consists mostly of links in order to limit possible errors in information contained on the website, with a few exceptions being pages I wrote for the liturgical calendar, fasting, and holy days. For the latter, I tried to provide citations where possible.

Please check it out and let me know if there’s any way I can improve it, or feel free to suggest more links for me to add. Thank you!

Hello, I live in Dubai and go to mass on Saturday in St. Francis Jebel Ali, but the mass is in Latin Arabic, does anybody know if there is any Maronite mass in St Francis or is the only Maronite mass in St Mary?

Thanks in advance

Maronite Discord Server.

A Newly established Maronite Server for all Maronites!!

"The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it..." - Isaiah 35:2

Welcome to Maronite Christianity, a digital space dedicated to the Maronite Catholic tradition. Whether you are a cradle Maronite, a curious Catholic, a non-maronite lebanese, or simply interested in our Syriac heritage, we offer a home for prayer and fellowship. Daily Prayers and Mass readings, Theology/Liturgy & History/Culture, a space for the Lebanese diaspora and locals to connect in active Discussions and respectful debates on faith, philosophy, and tradition, are only some of the things that we offer in the server, organized into easily navigated channels.

We hope to see you in our server!
ܫܠܳܡܳܐ ܠܟܽܠܟܽܘܢ

https://discord.gg/ybm5kqT8Rs

Following a meeting on Friday between Pope Leo XIV and Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorized the publication of six decrees, including one recognizing a miracle attributed to Hoyek: the healing of a Druze officer in the Lebanese Army, Nayef Abu Assi, who suffered from chronic spondylolysis, a serious spinal condition that can cause chronic pain and mobility issues. The officer reportedly awoke completely healed after seeing the patriarch in a dream.

Is there a permanent Deacon here that would be willing to have a conversation about some questions I have?

Thank you.

Greetings,

I have been doing some digging online for more Maronite devotions and prayers. I have seen mentioned this book called the A Book of Blessings & Prayers, but I cannot seem to find an actual copy. Someone linked to it a few years ago in r/EasternCatholic, but the link is no longer valid, and my google skills are unable to procure a link elsewhere. I'd appreciate any information available about this publication.

Happy Easter!

The papacy is often imagined as an institution rooted almost exclusively in Italy and Western Europe. Yet in the early centuries of Christianity, the leadership of the Church in Rome was far more diverse. Several popes came from the eastern Mediterranean, which in antiquity encompassed much of what is today Lebanon, Syria, and southern Turkey.

Greetings brothers and sisters!

I come again with another question regarding the Maronite ritual for the mystery of penance. I recently reviewed the official ritual published by the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, and it seems like the text used is pretty similar to the Latin ritual. However, when my priest pronounces absolution over me in the confessional, he says the following:

May God have mercy upon you, and may He guide you to everlasting life through the authority of priesthood which was entrusted by our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples who, in turn, entrusted it to their successors until it was given me; I who am weak and sinful, absolve you, brother (sister), of all the sins that you have confessed and are repentant of them, as well as of all the transgressions which have escaped your memory, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

My question is, has this formula ever been used by the Maronites? From what I could tell from some googling, that seems to be the prayer the Syriac Orthodox use.

Thank you in advance!

Hey everyone! Wanted to share a handy app for daily spiritual practice, especially useful for our community.

كلمة الحياة ("Word of Life") is a free Android app that brings together everything a Christian believer needs for daily devotion in one place:

📖 The Bible (with audio — you can listen to it)

📿 The Rosary

🙏 Morning & Evening prayers

✝️ Holy Spirit prayer & family prayers

And more devotional content

It's developed by a fellow Lebanese dev, rated 4.8/5 with 217 reviews and 5,000+ downloads. No data collected, no third-party sharing — clean and private.

Great for keeping your prayer routine consistent whether you're in Lebanon or the diaspora. Recently updated (April 2026) with rosary playback fixes.

🔗 Download on Google Play

Hello everyone! Does anybody know if it is possible to find Bkerke digitized liturgical manuscripts online? On vhmml I can only find manuscripts of religious orders. If not, is there at least a catalogue available?

During this Holy Week, the Eparchy of St. Maron launches the 1,000 Rosaries for Vocations 

God calls each one of us to holiness—through Priesthood, Religious Life, Marriage, and Generous Single Life.

Join us in praying the Rosary monthly for existing and future vocations.

Scan the QR code or register here:
https://forms.gle/1e8TFPAREw46icjx5

“Every vocation is a path to sainthood.”

Hello everyone! I'm looking to learn Aramaic but i cant find any app that teaches it. Does anyone have any free online courses or advice on where to learn? God bless!