The Arshakunis: Founded the Armenian Church - 6/7 -

Vahe H Apelian

Courtesy Արշակունիններ Facebook account

The Arshakuni King Drtad III, not only had the Armenian nation adopt Christianity in 301 as its state religion but also established the Armenian Church. However it also planted the seeds of the Armenian State and the Armenian Church conflict. 

I would like to note that the schisms in Armenian church started in the 18th century. The Armenian Catholic Church came about on November 26, 1742, and the Armenian Evangelical Church came about on July 1, 1846. Before those dates all Armenians, without exception, belonged to the Armenian Apostolic Church which was known as the Armenian Church. The designation as Armenian Apostolic Church, in distinction to the Armenian Catholic and Evangelical Armenian churches, is relatively recent. It is within that context that I have titled my blog as the conflict between the Armenian State and the Armenian Church.

 Thirty and a few more years into the third (second?) republic, Armenia is brewing with state and church conflict. A few days ago, on June 13, 2024, before embarking on his final presentation in the National Assembly about the 2023 annual state budget implementation, the PM addressed the confrontation that happened the day before, on June 12, between the police and the demonstrators who were pressing to enter, if not storm, the government building where the government was in session. In his address he named two persons who, he claimed, stood behind the protesters, the former president Robert Kocharian and the Catholicos of All Armenian Karekin II. I wonder if such an outright naming an Armenian bishop leading the conflict with the Armenian state had happened before.

But the Armenian State and the Armenian Church conflict is not something new. Save through the centuries when there was no Armenian state and the Armenian church was de facto acting as the state, there was no reason for church and state conflict, which started almost right after the Arshakuni king Drtad III, had Armenians convert to Christianity. In my previous blog, I had highlighted on the matter of the national conversion to Christianity and noted that, there appeared to be more to the conversion than just embracing the new faith for the new faith’s sake. Those interested may read the blog I linked below.

It is interesting to note that it is claimed that the coat-of-Arms of the Arshakunis was the eagle and that after converting to Christianity, the dynasty still kept the eagle as their coat-of-arms, but had the eagle depicted with two heads (see the picture above). It is not far-fetched to imagine that not all embraced the conversion and that many, among the nobility and the laity, may have very well fiercely reject it.  We should bear in mind that some of the Arshakunis themselves and some among nobles of the court, were also Zoroastrian priests, including King Arshak I who had the Roman temple built at Garni that stands to this day and is one of the must-see touristic sites. It is said that some of the rituals of the Armenian Church service and the pageantry of the mass may have their roots in Zoroastrian worship services. 

It can be argued that the Arshakounis adopted the eagle with two heads to placate the old believers who may have converted to Christianity but had not given up on zoroastratism altogether. 

We should bear in mind that with the establishment of the Armenian Church in 301, there came about a hereditary ecclesiastical dynasty. The firs person who occupied the spiritual throne, Gregory the Illuminator was a true princely blue blood himself.  

Who was Gregory the Illuminator?

I post the following from Wikipedia:

““Gregory the Illuminator[a] (Classical Armenian: Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչ, reformed spelling: Գրիգոր Լուսավորիչ, Grigor Lusavorich;[b] c. 257 – c. 328) is said to have been the son of a Parthian nobleman, Anak who assassinated the Arsacid king of Armenia Khosrov II (Note: The father of Drtad III). The young Gregory was saved from the extermination of Anak's family and was raised as a Christian in Caesarea of Cappadocia. Gregory returned to Armenia as an adult and entered the service of King Tiridates III, who had Gregory tortured after he refused to make a sacrifice to a pagan goddess. After discovering Gregory's true identity, Tiridates had him thrown into a deep pit well called Khor Virap for 14 years. Gregory was miraculously saved from death and released after many years with the help of Tiridates' sister Khosrovidukht. Gregory then converted the King to Christianity, and Armenia then became the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD. Gregory, the Illuminator, then healed King Tiridates, who the hagiographical sources say had been transformed into a boar for his sins, and preached Christianity in Armenia. He was consecrated bishop of Armenia at Caesarea, baptized King Tiridates and the Armenian people, and traveled throughout Armenia, destroying pagan temples and building churches in their place.”

In a master stroke, King Drtad III may have taken the power of the Zoroasterian order, but in its place, he established a Christian spiritual ecclesiastical dynasty, a power base nonetheless. The throne of the Catholicos in Etchmiadzin remained the property of the descendants of Gregory the Illuminator until the year 438, when the Artshakuni dynasty came to its end as well. St.Gregory’s last descendant to occupy the throne was Catholicos Sahag Bartev, who with the young monk Mesrob Mashdots is credited to come with the Armenian alphabet. Catholicos Sahak Bartev, passed away on September 7, 439. With his death the line of St. Gregory the Illuminator occupying the throne at Etchmiadzin came to an end. Catholicos St. Sahag Bartev had a daughter named Sahaganush and three grandsons, her sons. One whom became the most famous general in the Armenian history, Vartan Mamikonian.

The occupants of the ecclesiastical throne in Etchmiadzin, Gregory the Illuminator and his descendants, did not have the military resources of the state. But they commanded no less an effective resource, their spiritual reach and gave legitimacy to the Armenian king by baptizing him. 

 The Arshakunis thus not only founded the Armenian Church but also planted the seeds of a possible conflict between the Armenian secular state and the Armenian Christian church, which was bound to erupt and it did. 

To be continued.

***

Link:

The Arshakunis - The pagan dynasty who embraced Christianity.

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-arshakunis-pagan-dynasty-who.html

  

"There Will Come Soft Rains" – «Մեղմ անձրեւներ պիտի տեղան»

Ara Mekhsian had posted on his Facebook page today a poem and his Armenian translation of the poem. Both, the poem and its translation were superb, indeed. I guess we think highly of ourselves as mankind, when neither birds nor trees, would even say good riddance to us for they would "scarcely know that we were gone."

I will admit that I had not known of the poetess Sara Teasdale (1884-1933), to have read that poem before.

Quoting Wikipedia: “Sara Trevor Teasdale was an American lyric poet. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and used the name Filsinger after her 1914 marriage. In 1918, she won a Pulitzer Prize for her 1917 poetry collection Love Songs. In 1933, in frail health after a recent bout of pneumonia, she took her own life with an overdose of barbiturates. Her last and perhaps finest collection of verse, Strange Victory, was published later that year. Her Collected Poems appeared in 1937. Teasdale wrote seven books of poetry in her lifetime and received public admiration for her well-crafted lyrical poetry which centered on a woman's changing perspectives on beauty, love, and death.”

As to the poem, I quote: “There Will Come Soft Rains" is a lyric poem by Sara Teasdale published just after the start of the 1918 German Spring Offensive during World War I, and during the 1918 flu pandemic about nature's establishment of a new peaceful order that will be indifferent to the outcome of the war or mankind's extinction.”

Attached is the poem and Ara Mekhsian’s superb Armenian translation.

There Will Come Soft Rains

Sara Teasdale, 1884 - 1933

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground, 

And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; 

And frogs in the pools singing at night, 

And wild plum trees in tremulous white, 

Robins will wear their feathery fire 

Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire; 

And not one will know of the war, not one 

Will care at last when it is done. 

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree 

If mankind perished utterly; 

And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn, 

Would scarcely know that we were gone.

 

Մեղմ անձրեւներ պիտի տեղան

Սառա Թիզտէյլ, Ամերիկացի բանաստեղծ

(թարգմանութիւն)

Մեղմ անձրեւներ պիտի տեղան եւ յարուցեն բոյրը հողին,

Կռինչներով մեղկ, մարմրուն՝ ծիծեռներ պիտի սաւառնին, 

Գորտեր պիտի գիշերերգեն ջուրերուն մէջ ջրշեղջերուն,

Սալորենիներ անմշակ՝ ճերմակազգեստ ու սրսփուն,

Շիկահաւեր՝ հրափետուր պատմուճան հագած՝

Պիտի սուլեն քմայքն իրենց՝ ցանկորմին թառած:

Ոչ մէկը պիտի իմանայ, որ մարդիկ ելեր են մարտի,

Մէկն իսկ պիտի չնշմարէ, երբ պատերազմը աւարտի,

Ոչինչ պիտի մտահոգէ թռչնազգի եւ ծառ՝ 

Եթէ ջնջուի անմնացորդ՝ մարդկութիւնն ի սպառ.

Եւ գարունն իսկ, երբ արթննայ վաղ այգաբացին,

Հազիւ թէ միտքէն անցընէ, թէ մենք ո´ւր գացինք:

Sara Teasdale, 1884 - 1933

 

 

You may not know: Things you may not know about Armenians of Lebanon – 2/2 -

I have compiled a list of random facts about Armenians of Lebanon. Vahe H Apelian

 

Top: Haigazian University. 
Low L to R: Armenian Catholic, Apostolic, Evangelical churches/cathedrals.

1.     Armenians first established contact with Lebanon when Tigranes the Great conquered Phoenicia and made it part of its short-lived Armenian Empire.

2.        The Catholic Armenians who fled to Lebanon in the declining years of the 17^th century may be credited with establishing the first enduring Armenian community in Lebanon.

3.    The Armenian Catholic monastery in Bzoummar, Lebanon, built in 1749, is acknowledged as the oldest extant Armenian monastery in Lebanon and serves as the patriarchal see for the entire Armenian Catholic Church.

4.  Lebanon Is the location of the only Armenian university outside Armenia. Haigazian University was established in Beirut by the Armenian Missionary Association of America and the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East. It was founded on October `17,  1955, Haigazian is a liberal arts Armenian institution of higher learning, which uses English as the language of instruction.

5.    Haigazian University produced the 1^st rockets in the Arab world in 1960.

6.        Lebanon Is the post Armenian Genocide seat of the historic Armenian Catholicosate of Sis / Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias.

7.        Lebanon Is made up of 17 religious denominations and the Armenian Apostolic denomination is considered the 7^th largest denomination in the country.

8.      Lebanon is the country where ethnic Armenian citizens occupy 7 seats of the 128 member Lebanese Parliament.

9.        Lebanon is where the Armenian Apostolic/Orthodox community has 5 seats in the Lebanese Parliament

10.    Lebanon is where Armenian Catholic community occupy 1 seat in the Lebanese parliament.

11.   Lebanon is where the ethnic Armenians and non-ethnic Armenian Evangelical occupy 1 seat in the Lebanese parliament. Dr. Antranig Manougian was the longest serving Armenian Evangelical/Protestant member of the Lebanese Parliament. He was followed by Nourijan Demirdjian.

12.    Lebanon has the only Armenian sanatorium in the Diaspora. It was founded in 1923.

13.    Lebanon is where the Armenian village Anjar, formed by descendants of Moussa Dagh, with the assistance of French, is located.

14.    Lebanon’s President Emile Lahoud was born in Baabdat on Janury 12, 1936. He is the youngest son of General and former minister Jamil Lahoud. His mother, Andrenee Bajakian, is of Armenian descent from the Armenian-populated village of Kessab, in Syria.

15.    Lebanon has many of its impressive building designed by Mardiros Altounian (1889–1958), an Armenian-Lebanese architect. He designed the Lebanese Parliament Building in Beirut (1931), the Abed clock tower (1934), Azounieh sanatorium in Chouf,  and Melkonian Benefactors' Mausoleum in Cyprus (with French-Armenian sculptor Leon Mouradoff). Also, St. Gregory Cathedral in Antelian (courtesy Hagop Toroyan), St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Harissa (courtesy Father Nareg Lousian),  Genocide Memorial in 1923.  (coutesy Garo Derounian).

16.    Lebanon is where KOHAR library is located. It is owned and sponsored by Khatchadourian brothers, and has the world’s largest collection of Armenian song books and hymns and flies the largest Lebanese flag from its rooftop.

17.    Lebanon is where Diaspora’s oldest and largest orphanage, Birds’ Nest, is found. It is under the juristiction of the Catholicosate of Sis in Antelias.

18.    Under the Ottoman Empire, Mount Lebanon’s first – Daoud Pasha, and the last – Hovhannes Pasha Kouyoumjian - governors were Armenians.

19.     Lebanon is where the Armenian Diaspora pop music started. Almost all the Diaspora pop singers had their debut in Lebanon. Name one that did not. 

20.    Lebanon is where the American University of Beirut is located, which boasts more Armenian college graduates than any other institutution of higher learning in any other country, save naturally Armenia.

21.    Lebanon is where, the first post Armenian Genocide High School, the Armenian Evangelical College (AEC) was established in 1923, where Noubar Efeyan, the principal founder of Moderna, went to school.

22.    Lebanon is where Nobel Prize Laureate, Artem Patapoutian was born and educated in Armenian school before immigrating to the U.S.A. 

23.    Lebanon is where the famed Armenian Jemaran-high school – was founded on March 3, 1930 by Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Society .  Prof. Richard Hovannisian and Vartan Krikorian attended it for varying times.

24.    Lebanon is where the oldest literary magazine in Western Armenian, Pakin, was established in 1962 and continues to be published.

25.    Lebanon is where Hamazkayin Vahe Setian publishing is founded and located that has published more Western Armenian books than anywhere else in the Diaspora.

26.    Lebanon is where the municipality of Bourj Hammoud, once exclusively inhabited by Armenians, is located whose mayor is an Armenian to this day. 

27.    More Armenians born and raised in Diaspora were schooled in Western Armenian  in Armenians schools in Lebanon, than anywhere else in the Diaspora. 

28.    In 1932 Siran Seza, A Lebanese-Armenian writer began publishing the first feminist literary review for women in Lebanon called The young Armenian Women (Երիտասարդ Հայուհի).Seza was born in Constantinople, present day Istanbul, in 1903. The final issue of the magazine was published in 1968.

29.    The central committee of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society is located in Lebanon.  

30.    The Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE) is an autonomous body of Armenian Evangelical churches comprising 25 congregations throughout Australia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. The UAECNE, previously known as the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in Syria and Lebanon, is the continuance of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in Cilicia. Those who survived the Armenian Genocide formed the timber around which the Armenian Evangelical Community was founded in the Near East. It is headquartered in Lebanon. 

31.    On August 4, 2020, during the 2020 Beirut explosions, 15 Armenians were killed, more than 250 were injured, The Armenian Catholicosate in Antelis suffered great material damage, Armenian churches and the building of Haigazin University were damaged.         

32.        John Wortabet (1927-1908) was an Armenian physician, missionary, and educator, John Wortabet was born in 1827. His father died while he was young and Ms. Whiting, an American missionary, took care of him. He joined the American School in Beirut until he mastered English well. Then he studied Arabic under Sheikh Nassif el-Yaziji and mastered Hebrew, Greek, and Latin while studying theology. When the Syrian Protestant College, the precursor of the American University of Beirut established its medical program, he joined it as a professor in anatomy and physiology. His bust remains placed in AUB.

 

 

 

«Տավուշ Յանուն Հայրենիքի» Շարժումը՝ իմ Ակնոցով

Վահէ Յ Աբէլեան

 

                Արք. Բագրատ Գալստանյանի ղեկաւարած «Տավուշ Յանուն Հայրենիքի»  շարժումին բնոյթը հիմնովին փոխուեցաւ երբ Արք.-ը առաւ իր քայլը դէպի Երեւան։ Իսկ այդ քայլարշաւին սկսան աջակցիլ քաղաքական կազմակերպութիւններ՝ յատկապէս ներկայ իշխանութեան դէմ ընդիմադիր ճակատը բաղկացնող  քաղաքական կազմակերպութիւնները որուն ամենէն ցայտունը եղաւ Հայաստանի Գերագոյն Մարմինով ղեկաւարուած Հայաստանի Հայ Յեղափոխական Դաշնակցութիւնը։  

Ինչո՞ւ համար այս շարժումը  յանգեցաւ Յունիս 12-ի պատահարին։

Ա. «Տավուշ Յանուն Հայրենիքի» շարժումը Ղարաբաղի վերամիացման համար է՞։ Բացառձակապէս ոչ։  1997-ին Նախագահ Լեւոն Տէր Պէտրոսեանին՝ «Պատերազմ կամ Խաղաղութիւն, Լրջանալու Պահը» քաղաքական տեսութեան դէմ ցցուեցան Ռոբերտ Քոչարյան, Սերժ Սարգսյան, Վազգէն Սարգյան եւ Վարդան Օսկանեան քառեակը եւ իրեն պարտադրեցին հրաժարիլ Նախագահութիւնէն, իր քաղաքական տեսութեան յայտարարութիւնէն քանի մը ամիս ետք։  Որմէ ետք, յաջորդող քսան տարիներուն, նոյն այդ ղեկաւարները՝ նախքին նախագահները, որոնք այժմ նեցուկ են Բագրատ Գալստանյանին ղեկաւարած շարժումին,  այդ տարիներուն չճանցան Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի անկախութիւնը, եւ ոչ ալ կցեցին  Լեռնային Ղարաբաղը Հայաստանին, եւ ոչ ալ բանակցեցան Ազրպէյճանի հետ։ Հապա ձգեցին բանակցութիւնը օտար երկիրներու ռրոնք եբրէք Լեռնային Ղարաբաղը Ազրպէյճանէն դուրս ճանչնալու տրամադիր էին, տալով Ազրպէյճանին ժամանակ որ իր բանակը կարգի դնէ։ Իսկ երկու նախագահները վարեցին անհիմն՝ «նոր պատերազմ, նոր տարածք», «ոչ մէկ դիզ» դիրքաւորում, ինչպէս նաեւ Վարչապետ Նիկոլ Փաշինեանին «Արցախը Հայաստան է եւ վէրջ» անյիմնաւորուած յայտարարութիւնը։ Պատահեցաւ Սեպտեմբեր 27-ի 44-օրուայ պատերազմը որ յանգեցաւ Հայաստանի պարտութեան եւ Նոյեմբեր 9, 2020-ի պայմանագրութեան։

Բ. «Տավուշ Յանուն Հայրենիքի» շարժումը  Արեւմտեան Հայաստանի Հողային պահանջին համար է՞։Բացառձակապէս ո՛չ։ Հայաստանի Նախագահները որոնք նեցուկ են այդ շարժումին, իրենց նախագահութեան օրերուն միշտ յայտարարեցին որ Հայաստանը Թուրքեայէն հողային պահանջք չունի։ Ոչ մէկ հաւաստիացում որ Տավուշի շարժումով եթէ իշխանութեան հասնին, այլ կերպ պիտի տնօրինէն իրենց քաղաքական յարաբերութիւնը Թուրքիոյ եւ Ազրպէյճանի հետ։ Հողային պահանջք չունէին եւ պիտի չունենան։ Չմոռնանք որ իրենց հետ գործակցեցաւ Հայաստանի ՀՅԴ-ը որպէս անոնց կրտսեր քաղաքական դաշնակիցը։

Գ. «Տավուշ Յանուն Հայրենիքի» շարժումը  Ցեղասպանութեան ճանաչումին համար է՞։ Բացառձակապէս ո՛չ։ Իրենց նախագահութեան շրջանին, նախքին նախագահները որոնք ներկայիս նեցուկ են  Արք. Բագրատի ղեկաւարած շարժումին, ոչ մէկ ցեղասպանութեան ճանաչում պահանջեցին Թուրքեայէն (բացառելով առաջին ԱԳ Նախարար Րաֆֆի Յովհաննիսյանը)։ Նախագահները միշտ փնտռեցին բարեկարգել Հայաստանի յարաբերութիւնը Թուրքիոյ հետ առանց որեւէ նախապայմանի։ Այսինք՝ Թուրքերը ցեղասպանութեան մասին չեն հարցնէր, իսկ Հայաստանի իշխանութիւնն ալ ցեղասպանութեան մասին որեւէ բան չըսէր։ Տավուշով տիրանալէ ետք Հայաստանի իշխանութեան, ներկայ ընդիմադիրներուն Հայաստանի քաղաքականութիւնը պիտի ըլլայ նոյնը՝ բարեկարգել Թուրքիոյ յետ քաղաքական յարաբերութիւն եւ նախապայմաններ չունենալ, այնպէս ինչպէս չունէին։

Հապա՝ «Տավուշ Յանուն Հայրենիքի»  շարժումին աջակցող քաղաքական կազմակերպութիւններուն նպատակը ի՞նչ է։

«Տավուշ Յանուն Հայրենիքի» շարժման նեցուկ եղող ընդիմադիր ուժերու ղեկաւարներըուն՝ իմա նախքին նախագահներուն գլխաւորութեամբ, միակ քաղաքական նպատակն է տիրանալ իշխանութեան որպէզի օրինականացնեն իրենց թալանը եւ մնան Ռուսաստանին քաղաքական ծոցը  քանի որ այդ թալանը պահելու եւ քաղաքական վերնախաւին տիրապետելու պատեհութիւնը Ռուսաստանի մինատէրութիւնն  է որ   կընծայէ ընդիմադիրներուն։

Բայց, իշխանութեան գալը քաղաքական որեւէ կազմակերպութեան գեր նպատակն է։ Բնականաբար անօրէն բան մը չկայ Քաղաքական Պայմանագիր դաշնակցութեան ընդիմադիր քաղաքական կազմակերպութիւններուն ջանալ տիրանալ իշխանութեան, բայց օրինականօրէն։ Իսկ անոնք կ՚ուզեն տիրանալ իշխանութեանը առանց Հայաստանի մէջ սահմանադրականօրէն ճշդուած ժողովրդավարական կարգով։ Այսինք՝ չեն ուզեր որ տեղի ունենայ արտահերթ ընտրութիւն, այլ կ՚ուզեն իշախնութեանը տիրանալ առանց ընտրութեան` փողոցի անհնազանդութիւններով ճնշում բանեցնել վարչապետ Նիկոլ Փաշինյանին որ հրաժարի եւ ընդիմադիրները նշանակեն յաջորդ վարչապետը վարելու համար երկրին քաղաքականութիւնը

Ահաւասիկ այդ է որ մերժեցին Հայաստանի քաղաքացիները եւ չընդիմացան իշխանութեանը երբ անոր ոստիկանները դիմեցին իրենց սահմանուած օրինական բռնութեանբ սանձելու եւ զսպելու ընդիմադրութեան փողոցի չափազանցուած օրինազանծութիւնները եւ այսպէս յանգեցաւ  Յունիս 12-ի պատահարը։ 

You may not know: Things you may have not known about Lebanon - 1/2 -

 I came across this listing posted in Facebook from “The Travel Bible” website. I thought it may interest readers. Next installment will be Armenians in Lebanon. Vahe H Apelian

 

 

1. Lebanon is one of the oldest countries in the world, with evidence of human habitation dating back at least 7,000 years. The cities of Byblos, Beirut, and Sidon are among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

2. The country was home to the Phoenicians, a maritime civilization that emerged in the second millennium BC. The Phoenicians were known for their seafaring skills, trade networks, and the creation of the first alphabetic writing system.

3. Lebanon is known for its cedar trees, which are a national symbol and were historically used in building temples, palaces, and ships. The Cedars of God Forest, a remnant of ancient forests, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

4. The Lebanese flag features a cedar tree in the center, symbolizing peace, immortality, and tolerance. The red stripes represent the blood shed for liberation, and the white stripe symbolizes the snow-capped mountains of Lebanon and purity.

5. Lebanon has 18 officially recognized religious sects, making it one of the most religiously diverse countries in the Middle East. The country operates under a confessionalist political system, where power is divided among the major religious communities.

6. Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, is often called the "Paris of the Middle East" because of its vibrant cultural life, historical sites, and nightlife.

7. The American University of Beirut, founded in 1866, is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the Middle East.

8. Lebanese cuisine is celebrated worldwide for its variety and flavor, with famous dishes including hummus, tabbouleh, and kibbeh. Lebanon is also known for its wines, particularly those from the Bekaa Valley.

9. The Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek is one of the best-preserved Roman temples in the world and is larger than the Parthenon in Athens.

10. Lebanon participated in the first-ever Olympic Games of the modern era in Athens in 1896.

11. The Jeita Grotto, a system of two separate but interconnected karstic limestone caves, is a finalist for the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

12. Lebanon's location at the meeting point of three continents has made it a cultural melting pot, reflected in its architecture, language, and traditions.

13. The country has a high literacy rate, one of the highest in the Arab world.

14. Lebanon was the first Arab country to have a constitution, press, radio station, and library.

15. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Lebanon was a financial hub and a tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world.

16. The Beirut Central District, also known as Solidere, has undergone extensive reconstruction since the end of the Lebanese Civil War in 1990, restoring its status as a cultural and commercial center.

17. The Lebanese dialect of Arabic is known for incorporating many French words, a remnant of the French Mandate period from 1920 to 1943.

18. The Byblos port is one of the oldest ports in the world, which contributed to the spread of the Phoenician alphabet.

19. The National Museum of Beirut houses thousands of artifacts, offering a comprehensive overview of Lebanon's history from prehistoric times to the Ottoman period.

20. Lebanon's Shouf Biosphere Reserve is the largest nature reserve in the country, representing 5% of the Lebanese territory and containing 25% of the country's green area.

21. Despite its small size, Lebanon has a diverse geography that includes mountains, beaches, and fertile valleys, making it a destination for outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, and beachgoing.

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