Saint Maron, Father of the Maronite Church
Feast Day February 9th
Historical Reference
Saint Maron is the spiritual father of the Maronites, and the saint from whom the Maronite Church draws its name. The Maronite rite is one of 22 eastern Catholic rites that is in full communion with the Holy See of Rome. Of all the Eastern rite Churches, the Maronite Church is the only one known by the name of a person—Saint Maron.
The only source we have on Saint Maron’s Life is from his biographer, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, who wrote “Historia Religiosa” in the fifth century (The Religious History, also known as A History of the Monks of Syria). He describes the life of hermits in Cyrrhus and vicinity. In chapter 16 Theodoret mentions that Saint Maron was one of those hermits.
The Diocese of Cyrrhus was west of Euphratia in northern Syria. Cyrrhus was at a distance of two days north east of Antioch and about 70 kms north west of Aleppo. [1]
The only source we have on Saint Maron’s Life is from his biographer, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, who wrote “Historia Religiosa” in the fifth century (The Religious History, also known as A History of the Monks of Syria). He describes the life of hermits in Cyrrhus and vicinity. In chapter 16 Theodoret mentions that Saint Maron was one of those hermits.
The Diocese of Cyrrhus was west of Euphratia in northern Syria. Cyrrhus was at a distance of two days north east of Antioch and about 70 kms north west of Aleppo. [1]
Life
Saint Maron was born in Cyrrhus about 350AD. Theodoret mentions that when Saint Maron decided to lead a life of isolation, he went to a rugged mountain half-way between Cyrrhus and Aleppo. There was a huge pagan temple for god Nabo of which was derived the name of the mountain and the neighboring village Kfarnabo. [1]
Theodoret explains that Saint Maron converted the pagan temple to a place of Christianity and his “soul received the words of the Gospel.” He chose the “poverty of Christ over the riches of this world.” [2]
He opted for life in the open air, day and night, in summer and in winter. He relinquished everything, living a life full of sacrifices, fasting and prayers. Saint Maron became famous and his holy reputation spread all over theregion. Saint John Chrysostom wrote to him from his exile in the Caucasus asking for his blessings and prayers. Theodoret called him “Maron the Divine” because through his prayers, he healed all who came to him with physical ormental diseases. [3]
His asceticism (a life of abstinence) was also marked by a continued attachment to people. They came to him and Saint Maron prayed and healed “not only the infirmities of the body, but applied suitable treatment to souls as well.” [2]
Theodoret explains that Saint Maron converted the pagan temple to a place of Christianity and his “soul received the words of the Gospel.” He chose the “poverty of Christ over the riches of this world.” [2]
He opted for life in the open air, day and night, in summer and in winter. He relinquished everything, living a life full of sacrifices, fasting and prayers. Saint Maron became famous and his holy reputation spread all over theregion. Saint John Chrysostom wrote to him from his exile in the Caucasus asking for his blessings and prayers. Theodoret called him “Maron the Divine” because through his prayers, he healed all who came to him with physical ormental diseases. [3]
His asceticism (a life of abstinence) was also marked by a continued attachment to people. They came to him and Saint Maron prayed and healed “not only the infirmities of the body, but applied suitable treatment to souls as well.” [2]
Death and Burial
We do not know when Saint Maron exactly died. While the tradition states that he died in 410, all what we know about his death is that it has occurred before the appointment of Theodoret as Bishop of Cyrrhus in 423. [4]
His burial place is a debated issue. People from different villages wanted to have him buried in their towns. However, Theodoret’s description of Saint Maron’s burial place points to the populous town of Brad in the proximity of Kfarnabo. A huge church was built in that town around the beginning of the fifth century A.D. Inside this church there was a sarcophagus, which possibly contained Saint Maron’s body. [1]
Maronite Church
Saint Maron did not found a church or a monastic order, nor did he leave any theological or philosophical works. He was mainly devoted to Christ in a unique way, tutoring a lot of disciples: monks, worshipers and nuns... He established in a way or another, a spiritual monastic-hermitic school that is still thriving today, depicted by Theodoret as “the philosophy of an open-air life.”
In 452, influenced by Theodoret and following the order of the Byzantine Emperor Marcian (450-457), the disciples of Saint Maron built a monastery on the Orontes River and named it after their patron. This monastery quickly became the stronghold of the Orthodox-Catholic doctrine according to the Chalcedonian dogmatic definition, in the Syria Secunda region (Hama – Homs). Even though the historical sources do not specify where the monastery was located on the Orontes River, one thing is sure: this monastery was not only a “house of prayer and work, but also a fortress of faith and the foundation of a message” as Abbot Boulos Naaman stated.
There is no doubt that the real Maronitism stemmed from the Monastery of Saint Maron. It was a spiritual monastic movement that boldly stamped their way of life and influenced their historical course.
The monastery of Saint Maron prospered and became the foundation of a series of monasteries that burgeoned in Syria Secunda. The community gathered around these monasteries was known as the Beit Maroun.
This new community soon expanded in different cities of Roman Syria, preaching the Chalcedonian faith. It also reached many places in Mount-Lebanon, where Ibrahim of Cyrrhus, one of the disciples of Maron, had previously converted many pagans to Christianity in the valley of the Adonis River, which was later named after him: Nahr Ibrahim (The River of Ibrahim).
Afterwards, when the patriarchal seat of Antioch became vacant due to the Arab-Muslim conquest, the Maronite community led by the Monastery of Saint Maron, took the initiative in the late seventh or early eighth century to elect John Maron as the Patriarch of Antioch. [4]
There is no doubt that the real Maronitism stemmed from the Monastery of Saint Maron. It was a spiritual monastic movement that boldly stamped their way of life and influenced their historical course.
The monastery of Saint Maron prospered and became the foundation of a series of monasteries that burgeoned in Syria Secunda. The community gathered around these monasteries was known as the Beit Maroun.
This new community soon expanded in different cities of Roman Syria, preaching the Chalcedonian faith. It also reached many places in Mount-Lebanon, where Ibrahim of Cyrrhus, one of the disciples of Maron, had previously converted many pagans to Christianity in the valley of the Adonis River, which was later named after him: Nahr Ibrahim (The River of Ibrahim).
Afterwards, when the patriarchal seat of Antioch became vacant due to the Arab-Muslim conquest, the Maronite community led by the Monastery of Saint Maron, took the initiative in the late seventh or early eighth century to elect John Maron as the Patriarch of Antioch. [4]
Relics
According to a Maronite tradition, the followers of Saint Maron carried the relics of the Saint, especially the skull, to Saint Maron’s Monastery or “Beit Maroun” built in 452 A.D. between Hama and Aleppo in Syria.
The skull was then carried to Saint. Maron’s Monastery in Kfarhai, Batroun – Lebanon around the turn of the eighth century. Maronite Patriarch Douaihy mentions: “When Youhanna (John) Maron settled in Kfarhai, he built an altar and a monastery after Saint Maron’s name and put Saint Maron’s skull inside the altar to heal the faithful. That’s why the monastery is called “Rish Mro” (Syriac) meaning “Maron’s head”.
Later, Saint Maron’s skull was taken to Italy. In 1130 one of the Benedictine monks came to the region. This monk was the rector of the Cross Afonastery near Foligno-Italy. During his visit he heard about Saint Maron’s skull, and upon retuming home he publicized Saint Maron’s virtues.
A church was built after Saint Maron’s name in Foligno. The Bishop of Foligno carried the skull to the city in 1194 and put it in the church of the diocese. The faithful in the city made a statue of silver for Saint Maron and put the skull in it. During his stay in Italy in 1887, Bishop Youssef el-Debs was given some relics of Saint Maron’s skull by the Bishop of Foligno. [1]
The Relics of Saint Maron are currently in Saint. Maron’s Monastery in Kfarhai, Batroun – Lebanon.
The skull was then carried to Saint. Maron’s Monastery in Kfarhai, Batroun – Lebanon around the turn of the eighth century. Maronite Patriarch Douaihy mentions: “When Youhanna (John) Maron settled in Kfarhai, he built an altar and a monastery after Saint Maron’s name and put Saint Maron’s skull inside the altar to heal the faithful. That’s why the monastery is called “Rish Mro” (Syriac) meaning “Maron’s head”.
Later, Saint Maron’s skull was taken to Italy. In 1130 one of the Benedictine monks came to the region. This monk was the rector of the Cross Afonastery near Foligno-Italy. During his visit he heard about Saint Maron’s skull, and upon retuming home he publicized Saint Maron’s virtues.
A church was built after Saint Maron’s name in Foligno. The Bishop of Foligno carried the skull to the city in 1194 and put it in the church of the diocese. The faithful in the city made a statue of silver for Saint Maron and put the skull in it. During his stay in Italy in 1887, Bishop Youssef el-Debs was given some relics of Saint Maron’s skull by the Bishop of Foligno. [1]
The Relics of Saint Maron are currently in Saint. Maron’s Monastery in Kfarhai, Batroun – Lebanon.
Recognitions
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On 23 February 2011, Pope Benedict XVI unveiled a statue of Saint Maron on the outer wall of Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and imparted his Apostolic Blessing. The Pope was accompanied by the president of Lebanon, Michel Suleiman and the patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir.
The 15 feet tall statue, 55,000 pounds, was commissioned by the Maronite Church to the Spanish sculptor Marco Augusto Dueñas. The saint appears in the sculpture holding a miniature, Maronite style church; the sculpture also features an inscription in Syriac reading: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon." Ps 92:12. The statue occupied the last available spot in the outer perimeter of Saint Peter's Basilica. Card. Angelo Comastri Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica said: “This is the last available spot in the outer perimeter of St. Peter's Basilica. Saint Maron, therefore, closes the list of saints that surround the tomb of the Apostle Saint Peter, near the place of his martyrdom on the Vatican hill.” [5] |
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Hoosoyo Prayer for the Feast of St. Maron
Praise, glory and honor to the Lord who in his goodness called Maron of the angelic life, who rendered him perfect through the divine virtues and enabled him to live in the garden of light and life. To the Good One is due glory and honor this evening, and all the days of our lives, now and for ever. Amen.
