Dating back to the 4th century, the Notre Dame de Qannoubine monastery seems to be embedded in the stone, on the mountainside, overlooking the extraordinary Qadisha Valley ("the holy valley"). This valley is famous in Lebanon and around the world for having served as a refuge for many Eastern Christians since the beginning of Christianity.
The foundation of the Notre Dame de Qannoubine monastery is attributed to the Roman Emperor Theodosius I (or Theodosius the Great).
Much later, from the 15th to the 19th century, the monastery was the seat of the Lebanese Maronite Patriarchate. In 1992, it became home to a community of Antonine nuns.
The monastery is a remarkable place, which can be discovered during hikes in the Qadisha Valley. Looking at it, one cannot help but be amazed by its mixture of majesty and simplicity, in an extraordinary natural setting.
