Place to see: St. Joseph's Monastery, Jrabta, Lebanon

About this place:

The monastery of St. Joseph al-Dahr in Jrabta, Batroun, Lebanon was built in 1897 by the Lebanese Maronite Order. It is a self-sufficient, fully-operational and residential monastery to this day.

St. Joseph's is widely known and visited by both Lebanese and International pilgrims alike, as the final resting place and place of worship for St. Rafqa. St. Joseph's is sometimes simply addressed (confusingly) as St. Rafqa's or Rafqa's.

St. Rafqa was a Lebanese Maronite nun (1832 – 1914). On June 10, 2001, His Holiness, Pope John Paul II elevated her to the rank of Saint at a solemn ceremony at the Vatican. You can read about St. Rafqa's life, here:
www.strafqa.org/

Entrance is free, but respect is required. Silence is to be observed. Consider your dress; you are in a holy place, home to hundreds of nuns...cover your legs, arms/shoulders, and nothing provocative. The grounds are open to roam, with signs in Arabic, French and English.

Be sure and walk through St. Rafqa's museum, with artifacts from her life, with also connects to a small chapel containing her remains. Be respectful of other mourners in this particularly holy sanctum. There are also statues and scenes depicting Rafqa and her life around the grounds, as well as her original burial site. A gift shop is also on premises for religious relics, as well as goods grown and handmade by the monastery nuns...a wonderful way to contribute & obtain a special souvenir.

Also see the work site and view the plans for the state-of-the-art new Basilica under construction on the grounds.