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On April 29, 2017, the Social Committee of the Romaïan Cultural Society, headed by Mr. Nicolas Mokbel, organized a cultural and recreational trip to the central Bekaa region and the Rashaya region. It included the ancient town of Anjar, the village of Aita al-Fakhar, and the city of Rashaya al-Wadi. Nearly fifty members of our association and their friends participated in the trip. They met in the morning in Achrafieh (Beirut) and boarded a modern, air-conditioned Pullman bus. They set off towards Chtaura and the Bekaa, to stop at Shamsine Restaurant in the Bekaa for breakfast, then continue the trip to the ancient town of Anjar near the Lebanese-Syrian border.
The delegation first visited the archaeological site of Anjar, which is, in fact, a small ancient city called Chalkis in Greek, that was restored by the Umayyads after the Arabs occupied the Bekaa called Marj el-Roum. The city plan refers to the Roman archetype, composed of two streets that met in the form of a cross. The delegation visited the city’s streets, districts, and monuments, including the Great Umayyad Palace, which was the ruler’s residence, and the Small Palace, which retains its arches, columns, and rich decoration inspired by natural, human and animal drawings. The visit to this site lasted about an hour and a half, after which the delegation moved to the famous village of Aita Al-Fakhar, inhabited by a Romaïan majority and located in a valley surmounted by a hill on which rises the Monastery of Saint George.
The delegation was received by the Mayor of Aita Al-Fakhar, Mr. Michel Gharib, who explained to the visitors the history of the town and its geographical location, mentioning the names of historical figures who originated from Aita Al-Fakhar, and noting the major expatriate communities that moved to America. The absence of the priest of St. Andrew’s Church, Exarch Dimitri Al-Hossan was noted because he was out of town. The visit to St. Andrew’s Church in the center of town was an opportunity for the president of the Romaïan Cultural Society, Professor Negib Geahchan, to explain the internal architecture of the Romaïan Church and the traditional decoration of its interior.
The visit of the city of Rashaya Al-Wadi was the third stage of this trip. This town is considered the most important city in the eastern Bekaa region, on the outskirts of Wadi al-Taym. It had one of the most prominent Romaïan communities in that region until the year 1860 and the establishment of the State of Greater Lebanon in 1920. But the pressing local circumstances, civil wars, and sectarian discrimination forced the majority of the Romaïans to emigrate, to spread throughout Lebanon and to move, especially, to the major coastal cities. The majority of the city’s remaining residents are now from the Druze community.
The delegation headed, at first, to St. Nicholas cathedral (Rashaya is a bishopric that was later on annexed to the Archbishopric of Tyre and Sidon), which is one of the most beautiful and rich churches in the region. Reverend Father Joachim Abu Kassem, the parish priest, received the group and hosted them in the church hall. The delegation moved, then, to Rashaya Castle, known as the Independence Castle because, in 1943, it hosted Lebanese statesmen who called for Lebanon’s independence. They were imprisoned in that castle until Lebanon gained independence on November 22. The castle includes a small museum that recalls the story of those historical days.
The delegation visited the center of the city of Rashaya, toured the old market and stopped at the historic churches, especially the Church of our Virgin Mary, which dates back to the ancient Romaïan and medieval era, and which is located at a ground level lower than that of the current market. Some visitors were able to buy some local products, including vegetables, fruits and pickles.
The group had an appetizing lunch at Al-Layali Restaurant, which is located on the outskirts of the city of Rashaya. The participants spent about two hours in this wonderful natural site, exchanging conversations about the heritage of the religious and historical places they visited. The trip ended with a tasting visit to the Kefraya vineyards, where some visitors shopped the delicious products.
In conclusion, the April 2017 trip was a distinguished visit to the Bekaa and Rachaya regions, famous for their green fields and marvelous spring flowers, and a successful exploration of famous historical places that are considered among the most prominent Lebanese tourist sites. The trip also was an opportunity to tour towns that played distinct roles in the Antiochian Romaïan heritage. It combined cultural and religious benefits with upscale entertainment in Rachaya’s markets and restaurants.