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124-645: Matn is one of the most popular areas in Lebanon, with its rich scenery and its splendid view of the Mediterranean. Matn's population is almost entirely Christian with some Druze in the region, mostly in Beit Mery , Broummana , Mtein and Zarooun . The Matn district is also popularly known as Northern Matn District ( قضاء المتن الشمالي Qaḍāʾ al-Matn aš-Šamāliyy ) not to be confused with Southern Matn ( المتن الجنوبي al-Matn al-Janūbī ) which

248-502: A iqtâ' , but reclaimed it five years later following Shirkuh's death. The latter's nephew, Saladin , occupied Homs in early December 1174, but the garrison at the citadel resisted. He later departed for Aleppo, and left a small army in Homs' lower town. The defenders of the citadel offered to set their Christian prisoners free, if Raymond III, Count of Tripoli provided military assistance for them. William of Tyre later emphasized that

372-549: A Sunni Muslim reaction led by the Saljuqid Turks , who occupied Homs under the leadership of Aq Sunqur al-Hajib in 1090. The First Crusade was launched in 1096, and in 1098, the Crusaders captured Antioch to the northwest, looted Ma'arrat al-Nu'man , and finally besieged Homs itself. Although they managed to cut the city off from its main port Tartus , they failed in taking the city. Soon after, Homs came under

496-590: A "very strong place" of the Arab Sampsigeramos and of his son Iamblikhos, "phylarchs" of the Emesene, who had allied themselves to Q. Caecilius Bassus against Caesar in 47 BC; the translators above cited have thought strange Strabo's not saying a word about Emesa. Claims have been made that Emesa was founded by Seleucus I Nicator who established the Seleucid Empire upon the death of Alexander

620-537: A boundary with the territory of Epiphania . The kingdom of Sampsiceramus I , was the first of Rome's Arab clients on the desert fringes. The city of Emesa grew to prominence after the new-found wealth of the Emesene dynasty, governed first by one of the sons of Sampsiceramus I, Iamblichus I who made it the kingdom's capital. The Emesene proved their loyalty to Rome once more when they aided Gaius Julius Caesar in his siege of Alexandria in 48 BC, by sending him army detachments. Subsequently, they became embroiled in

744-547: A century until 1262 with the death of al-Ashraf Musa . In 1225, Arab geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi mentioned that Homs was large, celebrated and walled, having a strongly fortified castle on its southern hill. Towards the end of Ayyubid rule, Homs remained a centrepiece of the wars between them and the Crusaders, as well as internecine conflicts with the Mongol Empire and the Mamluks . The First Battle of Homs between

868-493: A decline of European textile production. The quality and design of cotton goods from Homs satisfied both the lower and upper classes of the local, Ottoman, and foreign markets. There were around 5,000 looms in Homs and nearby Hama , and one British consul referred to Homs as the " Manchester of Syria". Throughout the 20th century Homs held high political importance in the country and was home to several heads of state and other high-ranking government officials. In October 1918, it

992-684: A district of the province of Bilad al-Sham , encompassing the towns of Latakia , Jableh , and Tartus along the coast, Palmyra in the Syrian Desert and the territory in between, including the town of Hama . Homs was likely the first city in Syria to have a substantial Muslim population. In 638, Heraclius sought help from the Christian Arab tribes in Upper Mesopotamia , mainly from Circesium and Hīt , and they mustered

1116-583: A large army and besieged Emesa . However, the siege was a failure, as the coalition forces lost heart and abandoned the city as at the time Iyad ibn Ghanm invaded their homeland in an effort to counter their act. The Muslims transformed half of St. John's Church into the city's Friday mosque ( Great Mosque of al-Nuri ) and Homs soon became a centre of Islamic piety since some 500 companions of Muhammad ( Arabic : اَلصَّحَابَةُ , romanized :  al-ṣaḥāba ) settled there after its conquest. The tombs of Khalid ibn al-Walid, his son Abd al-Rahman , and

1240-567: A long and continuous history. Biblical scriptures show that Peter and Paul evangelized the Phoenicians , leading to the dawn of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch . As such, Christianity in Lebanon is as old as Christian faith itself. Christianity spread slowly in Lebanon due to pagans who resisted conversion, but it ultimately spread throughout the country. Even after centuries of living under Muslim Empires , Christianity remains

1364-468: A major part in the definition of and the creation of the state of Lebanon. The modern state of Greater Lebanon was established by France in 1920 after the instigation of ambitious Maronite leaders headed by patriarch Elias Peter Hoayek , who presided over delegations to France following World War I and requested the re-establishment of the entity of the Principality of Lebanon (1515AD–1840AD). With

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1488-476: A man called "'Amr bin al-Rawas" who conciled with him offering precious gifts to save the city. Later in the 15th century as Mamluk weakness had brought insecurity to the countryside, Homs was ravaged by Bedouin raids; In 1510 a powerful tribe led by al-Fadl bin Nu'ayr was sent on an expedition by the governor of Damascus to loot the city markets as Homs had failed to pay compensation for his "services". In 1516, Homs

1612-723: A military expedition to the area in 1860. The disagreements diminished in intensity only after the establishment of the Mandate and a political formula whereby all denominations achieved a degree of political representation. Besides the Beirut archdiocese, nine other archdioceses and dioceses are in the Middle East: Aleppo, Damascus, Jubayl-Al Batrun, Cyprus, Baalbek, Tripoli, Tyre, Sidon, and Cairo. Parishes and independent dioceses are situated in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela,

1736-1073: A national church in the fourth century. In the sixth century, it modified the formulations of the Council of Chalcedon of 451 that confirmed the dual nature of Christ in one person. Instead, the Armenian Apostolic Church adopted a form of Miaphysitism that believes in the united nature of divine and human in Christ, a belief shared by the Copts and the Syrian Orthodox Church (Oriental Orthodox Church). The Armenian Apostolic Church has two catholicoi (Sis and Etchmiadzin Cathedral ) and two patriarchs (Constantinople and Jerusalem). The Armenians in Lebanon reside mostly in Beirut and its northern suburbs, as well as in Anjar . During

1860-604: A new Metropolitan is appointed. The members of the Syriac Catholic Church are also refugees who had fled southeastern Turkey (present day Mardin region) during and after World War I due to the Assyrian/Syriac genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq and northeastern Syria into Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq and Syria. The Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Beirut

1984-452: A possessed Canaanite child. Christianity in Lebanon is as old as gentile Christian faith itself. Early reports relate the possibility that Saint Peter himself was the one who evangelized the Phoenicians whom he affiliated to the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch . Paul also preached in Lebanon, having lingered with the early Christians in Tyre and Sidon . Even though Christianity

2108-698: A rebellion by the Banu Kalb. In 750, the Abbasid Caliphate wrested control of Syria, including Homs, from the Umayyads, and the Arab tribes revolted. Despite the prosperity Homs experienced during this era, Abbasid rule was generally not welcomed nevertheless. During and after the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid (796–809), the Abbasid authorities sent numerous punitive expeditions against Homs. Under

2232-603: A revocation by Macrinus of the privileges given by Caracalla and a reestablishment of those by Elagabalus. Elagabalus served as the high priest at the Temple of El-Gebal , the local Arab sun god. He brought the image of this god, a conical black stone ( Baetyl ), to the Elagabalium in Rome. Emesa also grew wealthy because it formed a link in the eastern trade funnelled through Palmyra ; however, this dependence also caused

2356-465: A simple tribe, governed by its sheikhs, and still devoid of a real urban existence; according to Maamoun Abdulkarim, occupation of the citadel's tell does not confirm the existence of a real urban center in the plain before the Roman period and recent excavations have refuted the existence of vestiges preceding the Roman period under the actual town's outline, and the existence of an Arab Emesene dynasty in

2480-531: A small group of Latin Catholics who are of at least partial French or Italian descent. The Assyrians in Lebanon were refugees who had fled their native lands in southeastern Turkey during and after World War I due to the Assyrian genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq into Syria, Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq. The Archdiocese of Lebanon and Syria of

2604-531: A source of drinking water for the inhabitants. It was one of the largest cities in Syria and had several smaller districts surrounding it. In 944 the Hamdanids took definitive control of the city, dominating it until 1016. Arab geographer al-Mas'udi claimed in the early 10th century that Homs was "noted for the personal beauty of its inhabitants." In 985, al-Maqdisi noted that Homs was the largest city in all of Syria, but it had suffered "great misfortunes" and

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2728-842: Is Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi . When a new patriarch is elected and enthroned, he requests ecclesiastic communion from the Pope, thus maintaining communion within the Catholic Church. Patriarchs may also be accorded the status of cardinals, in the rank of cardinal-bishops. The Seat of the Maronite Catholic Church is in Bkerké. Monasteries in Lebanon are run by both the Maronite and Orthodox churches. The Holy Monastery of Saint George in Deir El Harf and Saint John

2852-618: Is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate . It is 501 metres (1,644 ft) above sea level and is located 162 kilometres (101 mi) north of Damascus . Located on the Orontes River , Homs is also the central link between the interior cities and the Mediterranean coast. Before the Syrian civil war , Homs was a major industrial centre, and with a population of at least 652,609 people in 2004, it

2976-559: Is bordered by Al-Bayadah and Deir Baalbah , while the more modern neighbourhoods of al-Sabil, al-Zahra Jub al-Jandali and Armenian quarter are situated to the east of the Old City. South of it are the neighbourhoods of Bab al-Sebaa, al-Mreijeh, al-Adawiyya, al-Nezha, Akrama and beyond them lay the Karm al-Loz, Karm al-Zaytoun, Wadi al-Dhahab, al-Shamas, Masaken al-Idikhar and Dahia al-Walid neighbourhoods. The modern commercial centre lies to

3100-574: Is easy, and their manners are agreeable. The women are beautiful and are celebrated for their fine skin." A series of earthquakes in 1157 inflicted heavy damage upon Homs and its fortress, then in 1170, a minor quake finished off the latter. However, because of its strategic importance, being opposite of the Crusader County of Tripoli , the city and its fortifications were soon restored. In 1164, Nur al-Din awarded Homs to Asad ad-Din Shirkuh as

3224-514: Is elected by bishops in a synod and confirmed by the Pope in Rome, who sends him a pallium (a circular band of white wool worn by archbishops) in recognition of their communion. Greek Catholic churches, like those of the Greek Orthodox, contain icons but no statues. The Melkite Greek Catholics live primarily in the central and eastern parts of the country, dispersed in many villages. Members of this rite are concentrated in Beirut, Zahlah, and

3348-542: Is made up primarily of Sunni Muslims (including Arabs , Kurds , and Turkmen ), with minorities of Alawites , Eastern Orthodox Christians and Assyrians . In addition to Catholics, Evangelists and Maronites. In the 1880s, the Survey of Western Palestine noted that there were 5,500 Greek Orthodox Christians and 1,500 Syriac Orthodox Christians. The Syriac Patriarchate was transferred to Homs from Mardin in 1933, but relocated once more to Damascus in 1959. According to

3472-661: Is not recognized by the state. But the Minister of the Interior Ziad Baroud made it possible in 2009 to have religious affiliation removed from the Lebanese identity card . This does not, however, deny the religious authorities' complete control over civil family issues inside the country. The Maronite Christians of Lebanon are the largest Christian denomination among the Lebanese people, representing 21% of

3596-663: Is part of Baabda District and with Uppermost Matn ( المتن الأعلى al-Matn al-ʾAʿlā ) which is part of Baabda District. As of 2022, the religious make-up of the District's 183,441 voters were roughly 44% Maronite Catholics , 15% Greek Orthodox , 14% Armenian Orthodox , 10% Greek Catholic , 6% other Christian Minorities and 11% Others. 33°53′48″N 35°34′40″E  /  33.8967°N 35.5778°E  / 33.8967; 35.5778 Christianity in Lebanon Christianity in Lebanon has

3720-589: Is that of the procession of the Holy Spirit and there are also divergences in ritual and discipline. The Eastern Orthodox Christians include many free-holders, and the community is less dominated by large landowners than other Christian denominations. In present-day Lebanon, the Lebanese Greek Orthodox have become increasingly urbanized, and form a major part of the commercial and professional class of Beirut and other cities. Many are found in

3844-712: Is the proper archeparchy ( Eastern Catholic (archdiocese) of the Syriac Catholic Church 's ( Antiochian Rite in Syriac language ) Patriarch of Antioch in his actual seat, Beirut, Lebanon. The members of the Syriac Orthodox Church are also refugees who had fled southeastern Turkey (present day Mardin region) during and after World War I due to the Assyrian/Syriac genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq and northeastern Syria into Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq and Syria. There are several archdioceses and dioceses of

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3968-466: The 1914 Ottoman population statistics , the district of Homs had a total population of 80.691, consisting of 67.587 Muslims, 10.246 Orthodox Greeks , 1.327 Catholic Greeks , 774 Assyrians , 751 Latins and 6 Protestants . During the Armenian genocide in the early 20th century, about 20,000 Armenians immigrated to Homs and the surrounding villages. A small Greek community also still exists in

4092-804: The Assyrian/Syriac genocide . Even today, refugees continue to flee from northern Iraq and northeastern Syria into Lebanon or Jordan due to continuous unrest in Iraq and Syria. The Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Beirut is the sole eparchy ( Eastern Catholic diocese) of the Chaldean Catholic Church and is immediately dependent on the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon in Baghdad , Iraq . The Copts in Lebanon were immigrants or refugees who had fled their native lands in Egypt, Libya and Sudan. According to tradition,

4216-840: The Bekaa Valley in the west to the border with Palmyra in the east, and from Yabrud in the south to al-Rastan (Arethusa) in the north. A marker at the Palmyrene 's southwestern border was found in 1936 by Daniel Schlumberger at Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi , dating from the reign of Hadrian or one of his successors, which marked the boundary between Palmyrene and Emesene ( Pliny the Elder asserted that both territories were contiguous); this boundary probably ran northwards to Khirbet al-Bilaas on Jabal al-Bilas where another marker, laid by Roman governor Silanus , has been found, 75 kilometres (47 mi) northwest of Palmyra, probably marking

4340-996: The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria was established by Saint Mark, an apostle and evangelist, in the middle of the 1st century (approximately AD 42). The ethnic Copts in Lebanon are estimated to number 3,000–4,000, and the Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the 18 religious sects recognized by the Lebanese Constitution. Homs Homs ( UK : / h ɒ m s / HOMSS , US : / h ɔː m s , h ɔː m z , h ʊ m s / HAWMSS , HAWMZ , HUUMSS ; Arabic : حِمْص / ALA-LC : Ḥimṣ [ħɪmsˤ] ; Levantine Arabic : حُمْص / Ḥomṣ [ħɔmsˤ] ), known in pre-Islamic Syria as Emesa ( / ˈ ɛ m ə s ə / EM -ə-sə ; Ancient Greek : Ἔμεσα , romanized :  Émesa ),

4464-757: The Eastern Orthodox 14, Melkites eight, the Armenians Apostolics five, Catholic Armenians one, Protestants one, and other Christian minority groups , one. The head of the Maronite Church is the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, who is elected by the bishops of the Maronite church and now resides in Bkerké , north of Beirut (but in the northern town of Dimane during the summer months). The current Patriarch (from 2011)

4588-568: The Lebanese mountains to escape emperor Justinian II 's persecution, finally settling in the Qadisha valley . Nevertheless, the influence of the Maronite establishment spread throughout the Lebanese mountains and became a considerable feudal force. The existence of the Maronites was largely ignored by the western world until the Crusades . In the 16th century, the Maronite Church adopted

4712-787: The Melkite Catholic Church . The Greek Orthodox Church forms the second-largest proportion of Lebanese Christians. The Armenian Apostolic Church also forms a large portion of the Christian population in Lebanon. The other six smaller Christian sects are considered ethnic Assyrians ( Syriac Orthodox , Syriac Catholics , Assyrian Church of the East and Chaldean Catholics ). In the Lebanese Parliament , Christians hold 64 seats in tandem with 64 seats for Lebanese Muslims . The Maronites are allotted 34 seats,

4836-484: The Roman Civil War between the rebelling Mark Antony and the pro-Caesar Octavian . Iamblichus I took the side of Octavian, and so upon encouragement from Antony, Iamblichus's brother Alexander usurped the throne and put Iamblichus I to death in 31 BCE. Octavian's forces prevailed in the war, however, and as a result the kingdom's throne was reverted to Iamblichus II (the son of Iamblichus I) after Alexander

4960-545: The Syrian Army , many of them taking part in the series of coup d'états that were to follow. An important example was Hafez al-Assad who became the president of Syria from 1971 until his death in 2000. An oil pipeline between Tripoli and Kirkuk was built in Homs in the early 1930s and it followed an ancient caravan route between Palmyra and the Mediterranean. In 1959, an oil refinery was built to process some of this oil for domestic consumption. The city's oil refinery

5084-669: The president of the country must be a Maronite , the Prime Minister must be a Sunnite , and the Speaker of Parliament must be a Shiite . The Taif Agreement helped establish a power-sharing system between the Christian and Muslim Lebanese political parties. The political and economic situation in Lebanon had improved greatly. Lebanon had rebuilt its infrastructure. Historical and contemporary conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel have threatened to deteriorate Lebanon's political and economic situation, with growing tension between

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5208-490: The "foundation of the Lebanese nation". The Maronites have been closely associated with the political system of independent Lebanon; it was estimated that in pre-Civil War Lebanon, members of this Rite held a large portion of the leading posts. However, roles were shifted due to the Taif Agreement's theoretical balancing of power. Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christianity is the second largest Christian denomination among

5332-495: The 1981 census, the population stood at 346,871, rising to 540,133 in 1994. According to the 2004 census by Syria's Central Bureau of Statistics , Homs had a population of 652,609 of which 51.5% were male and 48.5% female. In an independent 2005 estimate the city had 750,000 residents, and as of 2008 the population was estimated at about 823,000. Homs Governorate had an estimated 1,767,000 people in 2011. Today, Homs' population reflects Syria's general religious diversity, and

5456-688: The 1st century BC at the time of the Seleucids . It later became the capital of a kingdom ruled by the Emesene dynasty who gave the city its name. Originally a center of worship for the sun god El-Gabal , it later gained importance in Christianity under the Byzantines . Homs was conquered by the Muslims in the 7th century and made capital of a district that bore its current name. Throughout

5580-414: The 8 March and 14 March alliances and threatening Lebanon with renewed strife. The Christian community is currently divided, with some aligned with the Kataeb party, Michel Aoun 's Free Patriotic Movement , the El Marada Party headed by Suleiman Frangieh, Jr. , the Lebanese Forces Movement Samir Geagea, and others within the collection of various 14 March Christian leaders. Although the Taif agreement

5704-438: The Assyrian Church of the East is based in the Mar Gewargis Church of Sad El Bouchrieh, Beirut, Lebanon. After the recent passing of the archdiocese's late Archbishop Mar Narsai D'Baz , Archbishop Mar Meelis Zaia of Australia and New Zealand temporarily took over the archdiocese, handling all church related issues in Lebanon. The current bishops, the Bishop of Europe and the Bishop of Syria, oversee their individual dioceses until

5828-425: The Baptist Monastery in Douma both date back to the 5th century. The Balamand Monastery in Tripoli is a very prominent Orthodox monastery that has a seminary and a university associated with it. As of May 2022, the Lebanese Forces is the biggest Christian political party in Lebanon. Under the terms of an agreement known as the National Pact between the various political and religious leaders of Lebanon,

5952-490: The Crusaders and the Mongols from the entirety of Syria. At the beginning of the 14th century, the city was merely the capital of the smallest province of Syria and was often attached to the province of Damascus. Ibn Batuta visited Homs in 1355, writing that it had fine trees, good markets, and a "fine Friday Mosque", noting that all of its inhabitants were Arabs. Timur seized the city in 1400. Nevertheless, he did not sack it as he did in Aleppo, Hama and later Damascus, due to

6076-409: The Great . However, according to Henri Seyrig , Emesa does not seem to have received any Greek colony and the authors' complete silence makes one think that it did not increase its visibility under the Seleucid kings. According to Henri Seyrig, it even seems that Posidonius , to whom Strabo probably referred concerning the Emesenes' phylarchs' alliance with Q. Caecilius Bassus, regarded the Emesenes as

6200-423: The Islamic era, Muslim dynasties contending for control of Syria sought after Homs due to the city's strategic position in the area. Homs began to decline under the Ottomans and only in the 19th century did the city regain its economic importance when its cotton industry boomed. During French Mandate rule, the city became a center of insurrection and, after independence in 1946, a center of Baathist resistance to

6324-447: The Lebanese people, representing 8% of the Lebanese population. The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch adheres to the Eastern Orthodox Church , which is actually a group of autocephalous churches using the Byzantine rite and are the second largest Christian denomination within Christianity in Lebanon . Historically, these churches grew out of the four Eastern Patriarchates ( Jerusalem , Antioch , Alexandria , and Constantinople ) of

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6448-407: The Lebanese population. Most Protestants in Lebanon were converted by missionaries, primarily English and American, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They are divided into a number of denominations, including Presbyterian, Congregational, and Anglican. They are perceived by some to number disproportionately highly among the professional middle class. They constitute nearly 1 percent of

6572-433: The Lebanese population. The Melkite Catholics emerged as a distinct group from 1724 when they split from the Greek Orthodox Church over a disputed election of the Patriarch of Antioch. The elected man was considered too 'pro-Roman' and another faction, the larger, elected a rival who was supported by the Orthodox patriarch in Constantinople (the see of Antioch had ignored the split between the two which occurred in 1054 and

6696-408: The Lebanese population. The Maronite Church's full communion with the Catholic Church was reaffirmed in 1182, after hundreds of years of isolation in Mount Lebanon. By the terms of union, they retain their rites and canon law and use Arabic and Aramaic in their liturgy, as well the Karshuni script with old Syriac letters. Their origins are uncertain. One version traces them to John Maron of Antioch in

6820-479: The Market), Bab Tadmur (Gate of Palmyra ), Bab al-Dreib (or Bab al-Deir), Bab al-Sebaa (Gate of the Lions), Bab al-Turkman (Gate of the Turkmen ), Bab al-Masdoud (Closed Door), and Bab Hud (The Gate of Hud ). Only two gates—Bab Tadmor and Bab al-Dreib—remain today. The oldest of Homs' mosques and churches are located in the Old City. Homs consists of several subdivisions outside the Old City. The large neighbourhood of Khaldiyah spreads along its northern edge which

6944-567: The Middle East, but exact size of this population has been disputed for many years. One estimate of the Christian share of Lebanon's population, as of 2012, was 40.5%. And more recently, in 2018 the CIA World Factbook estimated that Christians constituted 33.7% of Lebanon's population. The Maronite Church , an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Catholic Church , is the largest and politically most active and influential denomination of Lebanon's Christians. The Catholic Church also includes other Eastern Catholic churches, such as

7068-431: The Mongols and the Mamluks took place on 10 December 1260, ending in a decisive Mamluk victory. The Second Battle of Homs was fought on 29 October 1281, also ending in a Mamluk victory. The Mamluks were finally defeated in the Battle of Wadi al-Khaznadar , also known as the "Third Battle of Homs", in 1299. Homs declined politically after falling to the Mamluks under Baibars because their campaigns effectively drove out

7192-428: The Ottomans brought administrative changes to Homs, as it became the capital city of sanjak ("district") of Homs , attached to the eyalet ("province") of Tripoli —its old rival. In the late 16th century the district was ruled by emir 'Ali Harfush of the famous Shiite Harfush dynasty of the nearby Beqaa valley . Later, a French visitor noted that the city walls and citadel were in good repair, but all within

7316-403: The President of the Lebanese republic shall always be a Maronite. Furthermore, the pact also states that Lebanon is a state with an "Arab face" (not an Arab identity). Note that the following percentages are estimates only. As the last Lebanese census was conducted in 1932, it is difficult to have precise population estimates. Lebanon has the highest proportion of Christians of any country in

7440-399: The Roman Orient. This was partly due to the marriage of Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus to a woman from a family of notables based in Emesa. According to a text of Ulpian ( Digest 50.15.1.4) and another one of Paul ( Digest 50.15.8.6), Caracalla and Elagabalus each promoted Emesa to the rank of a colonia and granted ius Italicum to it; Eugène Albertini has hypothesized about

7564-417: The Southeast ( Nabatieh / Beqaa ) and North , near Tripoli . They are highly educated and well-versed in finance. The church has often served as a bridge between Lebanese Christians and the Arab countries, because it exists in various parts of the Arab world. Members of the rite constitute 8% of the population. Melkite Christianity in Lebanon is the third-largest Christian denomination, representing 5% of

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7688-437: The Syriac Orthodox Church on the territory of Lebanon. The church follows the Syriac liturgy of St. James and has an independent hierarchy under the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, whose seat was formerly at Mardin in Turkey and is now at Damascus , Syria . The members of the Chaldean Catholic Church are also refugees who had fled southeastern Turkey (present day Mardin region) during and after World War I due to

7812-431: The United States, Canada, Mexico, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal. There are four minor seminaries in Lebanon (Al Batrun, Ghazir, Ayn Saadah, and Trablous) and a faculty of theology at the University of the Holy Spirit at Al Kaslik, which is run by the Maronite Monastic Order. The patriarch is elected in a secret ceremony by a synod of bishops and confirmed by the Pope. Leaders of the Rite have considered Maronite Christianity as

7936-454: The armed forces, as well as the sole ability to form and dissolve governments. Many Lebanese leaders, as well as global powers, continue to lobby to roll back features of the Taif Agreement that eroded the constitutional powers of the president of the republic. The role of president of the Lebanese Central bank is also a position reserved for Lebanese Christians. This is due to the historical and contemporary influence of Lebanese Christians among

8060-447: The banks of the Orontes river in the vicinity of Homs – Syria and founded a community of monks which began to preach the gospel in the surrounding areas. By faith, liturgy, rite, religious books and heritage, the Maronites were of Eastern origin. The Saint Maron Monastery was too close to Antioch to grant the monks their freedom and autonomy, which prompted Saint John Maron , the first Maronite patriarch-elect, to lead his monks into

8184-414: The catechism of the Catholic Church and reaffirmed its relationship with it. Moreover, Rome dispatched Franciscan , Dominican and later Jesuit missionaries to Lebanon to Latinise the Maronites. The relationship between the Druze and Christians has been characterized by harmony and peaceful coexistence , with amicable relations between the two groups prevailing throughout history, with

8308-458: The citadel once stood. To the north of the citadel lies the Christian Quarter, known as "al-Hamidiyah". This neighbourhood is one of the few areas of Homs that retains its older look, with most of the alternating black-and-white stone buildings dating from the Mamluk era. They are still used as shops and dwellings, and there has been recent renovation. At the time of the Abbasids, Homs was known for its seven gates. They were Bab al-Souq (Gate of

8432-401: The city during his Syrian campaigns . Throughout most of the 11th century, the Byzantine raids receded greatly and the Mirdasids of the Banu Kilab tribe ruled over Homs, replacing the Hamdanids. Inclined towards Shia Islam, they did not oppose the Isma'ili Shi'i Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt, which was aiming to extend its rule into northern Syria and Iraq at the time. This precipitated

8556-401: The city to pay thanks to the deity. Due to the strength of the pagan sun cult in Emesa, Christians initially did not settle in the city. Eusebius writes that Silvanus, the city's first bishop, had no jurisdiction over the city, but the surrounding villages. He was executed by Emperor Julian and succeeded by Bishop Antonius—the first bishop to settle Emesa. By the 5th century, Christianity

8680-434: The city with Hamath-zobah of Zobah mentioned in the Bible . In 1274 BCE, a battle took place between the forces of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River near Homs. It was possibly the largest chariot battle ever fought, involving perhaps 5,000–6,000 chariots. Strabo only mentioned Arethusa in his Geography , as

8804-460: The city's downfall when Palmyra sank to insignificance in the 4th century. Nonetheless, Emesa at this time had grown to rank with the important cities of Tyre , Sidon , Beirut , and Damascus . It also continued to retain local significance, because it was the market center for the surrounding villages. The city remained a strong center of paganism, because of the Temple of El-Gabal. After one of his victories over Zenobia , Emperor Aurelian visited

8928-577: The city's strategic position. Initially, the Egypt -based Tulunids came into control of it, but they were forced out by the Aleppo -based Hamdanids , who were briefly succeeded by the Qarmatians , after the latter's Turkish rebel ally Alptakin invaded northern Syria and established Homs as his base. In 891, Muslim geographer al-Yaqubi noted that Homs was situated along a broad river which served as

9052-702: The city,which served as his headquarters, after his army's defeat by the Rashidun Caliphate under Umar during the Battle of the Yarmuk (now the Jordan–Syria border ). In 637 CE, the Rashidun army , led by Khalid ibn al-Walid , captured Emesa peacefully because its inhabitants agreed to pay a substantial ransom of 71,000 to 170,000 dinars . Caliph Umar established Homs as the capital of Jund Hims ,

9176-471: The city. For approximately 2,000 years, Homs has served as a key agricultural market, production site and trade center for the villages of northern Syria. It has also provided security services to the hinterland of Syria, protecting it from invading forces. Excavations at the Citadel of Homs indicate that the earliest settlement at the site dates back to around 2300 BCE. Biblical scholars have identified

9300-532: The city. After long periods of stagnation under Ottoman rule, Homs started to flourish again in the 20th century. Its geographic and strategic location has made it a centre of agriculture and industry. The "Homs Irrigation Scheme", the first of its kind in modern Syria, brought prosperity to cultivators and the long-established enterprises involved in the processing of agricultural and pastoral products. Crops grown in Homs include wheat , barley , lentils , sugar beets , cotton , and vines , as well as serving as

9424-723: The civil war, the main stance of the Armenians was not to pick a side between Muslims or Christians and stay exempt mostly from the fighting. The largest Armenian community in Lebanon is found in Bourj Hammoud . Among the Armenians in Lebanon there are some who belong to the Armenian Catholic Church . They are also refugees who had fled Turkey during and after World War I and the Armenian genocide . The Latin Catholic Church in Lebanon consists mainly of

9548-541: The commanders of the crusader army doubted if the defenders of the Homs citadel actually wanted to release their prisoners. Saladin returned to Homs soon after he was informed about the negotiations between the crusaders and the garrison. Instead of attacking him, the crusader army retreated to Krak des Chevaliers; this enabled Saladin to capture the citadel on 17 March 1175. In 1179, after reorganising his territories in northern Syria, Saladin restored Homs to his Ayyubid dynasty . Shirkuh's descendants retained Homs for nearly

9672-568: The control of the Saljuqid ruler of Damascus , Duqaq , who transformed it into a large, fortified camp and key fortress effectively preventing the Crusaders from penetrating deeper into Muslim territory. Immune from attack, Homs became a point where the Muslims could marshal their forces and launch raids against Crusader holdings along the Mediterranean coast. In the early 12th century, the Saljuqids engaged in internal fighting, during which Homs

9796-548: The creation of the state of Lebanon, Arabism was overcome by Lebanism , which emphasizes Lebanon's Mediterranean and Phoenician heritage. In the National Pact , an unwritten gentleman's agreement between the Maronite President Bshara el-Khoury and Sunni Prime Minister Riad as-Solh , the seats of presidency were distributed between the main Lebanese religious denominations. According to the pact,

9920-694: The dominant faith of the Mount Lebanon region and has substantial communities elsewhere. The Maronite Catholics and the Druze founded modern Lebanon in the nineteenth century, through a governing and social system known as the " Maronite-Druze dualism " in the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate . Lebanon has the highest proportion of Christians of any Middle Eastern country, estimated to be between 37% and 43%; Egypt and Syria are next, at roughly 10%. Lebanese Christians constitute

10044-425: The east of Homs, is the Syrian Desert . Lake Homs , impounded by a huge dam of Roman origins , is to the southwest, lying some 125 kilometres (78 mi) south of Aleppo and 34 kilometres (21 mi) south of Hama , halfway on the road between the capital Damascus and Aleppo. The Orontes River splits the city into two main sections: To the east, on a flat land lies the city center and the main neighbourhoods; to

10168-422: The exception of some periods, including 1860 Mount Lebanon civil war . Due to their turbulent history, the Maronites formed a secluded identity in the mountains and valleys of Lebanon, led by the Maronite patriarch who voiced his opinion on contemporary issues. They identify themselves as a unique community whose religion and culture is distinct from the predominantly Muslim Arab world. The Maronites played

10292-524: The first Syrian governments. During the civil war, much of the city was devastated due to the Siege of Homs ; reconstruction to affected parts of the city is underway with major reconstruction beginning in 2018. The city's modern name is an Arabic form of the city's Latin name Emesus , derived from the Greek Émesa or Émesos , or Hémesa . Most sources claim that the name Emesa in turn derived from

10416-510: The first half of the 19th century, interrupted by its occupation by Muhammad Ali's Egypt led by Ibrahim Pasha between 1832 and 1840. The city rebelled against Egyptian rule and consequently, the citadel was destroyed when the Egyptians suppressed the revolt. Ottoman rule was soon restored and up to the 1860s, Homs was large enough to form a discrete economic unit of trade and processing of agricultural products from its satellite villages and

10540-557: The governorate's capital, is located in central western Syria, situated along the east bank of the Orontes River in a particularly fertile area. The city is in between the southern outliers of the Coastal Mountain Range located to the west and Mount Lebanon , overlooking the Homs Gap . Because of the gap, the area around Homs receives much more rainfall and gusty winds than interior regions to its north and south. To

10664-419: The inhabitants of certain districts. By June, there were near-daily confrontations between protesting residents and Syrian forces. As a result of these circumstances, there have been more deaths in Homs and its vicinity than in other areas of Syria. Homs was the first Syrian city where images of al-Assad and his family were routinely torn down or defaced and the first place where Syrian forces used artillery during

10788-470: The key bankers of the Middle East region. Although Lebanon is a secular country , family matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance are still handled by the religious authorities representing a person's faith. Calls for civil marriage are unanimously rejected by the religious authorities but civil marriages conducted in another country are recognized by Lebanese civil authorities. Non-religion

10912-406: The majority of the Lebanese diaspora worldwide. According to a 2015 study, an estimated 2,500 Lebanese Christians have Arab Muslim ancestry, whereas the majority of Lebanese Christians are direct descendants of the original early Christians. Before the Christian faith reached the territory of Lebanon, Jesus had traveled to its southern parts near Tyre where the scripture tells that he cured

11036-549: The mountainous areas of Lebanon and Syria. During the Ottoman era (1516–1914) they remained isolated and relatively independent in these areas. In 1857 and 1858 the Maronites revolted against the large landowning families. The revolt was followed by a further struggle between the Druzes and Maronites over land ownership, political power, and safe passage of community members in the territory of the other. The conflict led France to send

11160-668: The name collectively means "The fortress surrounding" which refers to the Citadel of Homs and the encircling plains. The city was subsequently referred to as Χέμψ ( Khémps ) in Medieval Greek , and as " la Chamelle " (literally meaning "the female camel" in French but likely a corruption of the Arabic name according to René Dussaud ) by the Crusaders (e.g. William of Tyre , Historia , 7.12, 21.6), although they never ruled

11284-760: The name of the nomadic Arab tribe known in Greek as Emesenoi , who inhabited the region prior to Roman influence in the area. Émesa was shortened to Homs or Hims by its Arab inhabitants, many of whom settled there prior to the Muslim conquest of Syria . Other sources claim that the name Émesa or Hémesa was derived from that of the Aramean city of Hamath-zobah , a combination of Hamath ( Hebrew : חֲמָת , romanized :  Ḥamāth ; Syriac : ܚܡܬ , romanized :  Ḥmṭ ; "fortress") and Sawbah (Hebrew: צובָא ; Syriac: ܨܘܒܐ Ṣwba ; "nearness"). Thus,

11408-406: The neighbourhoods of Bab Tadmur, Bab al-Dreib, Bab Hud and the immediate vicinity of the citadel, covering an area of 1.2 square kilometres (0.46 sq mi). Little remains of the Old City; its walls and gates were demolished in the Ottoman era, but a short section of fortified wall with a circular corner tower still exists. Half a kilometre to the south, a large earth mound marks the site where

11532-432: The neighbouring Bedouin tribes. The local economy was stimulated when the Ottoman government extended security to the city and its surrounding areas; new villages were established and old ones were resettled. However, Homs found itself faced with European economic competition since Ottoman rule was restored. Homs' economic importance was boosted again during the depression of the 1870s, as its cotton industry boomed due to

11656-657: The only military academy in Syria until 1967. The French authorities had created a locally recruited military force designated as the Special Troops of the Levant , in which the Alawites were given privileged positions. The military academy in Homs trained the indigenous officers for these Troupes Speciales du Levant . The Homs Military Academy played a major role in the years following Syria's independence, as many of its graduates went on to become high-ranking officers in

11780-776: The original five major episcopal sees (the Pentarchy ) of the Roman Empire which included Rome. The final split took place in 1054. From that time, the Eastern Churches have continued to reject the claims of the Patriarchate of Rome (the Catholic Church) to universal supremacy and have rejected the concept of papal infallibility. Doctrinally, the main point at issue between the Eastern and Western Churches

11904-410: The population (around 40,000) and live primarily in Beirut ( Greater Beirut ). The Lebanese Baptist Evangelical Convention was founded in 1955 by various churches. The Armenians in Lebanon mostly descend from refugees who had fled Turkey during and after the Armenian genocide during World War I . The Armenian Apostolic Church was organized in the third century and became autocephalous as

12028-692: The region, probably located in Arethusa, attests to the secondary nature of this area during the Hellenistic period. Upon Pompey 's submission of the Seleucid state of Syria to the Roman Republic in 64 BCE, the Emesene dynasty were confirmed in their rule as client kings of the Romans for aiding their troops in various wars. At its greatest extent, the Arab kingdom's boundaries extended from

12152-536: The reign of Caliph al-Mutawakkil , in October 855, the Christian population revolted in response to additional taxation . The caliph put down the revolt by expelling Christians from the city, burning down their churches and executing members of their leadership. With Abbasid rule over the Caliphate weakening in the mid-9th century, Homs became sought after by rebel dynasties contending for control of Syria due to

12276-625: The sacking of its markets on several occasions. Security was even more hampered, when in the 18th century, the Ottomans tore down the gates of the city's walls. Around 1708, the emir Hamad al-'Abbas of the Mawali Bedouin confederation, whom the Ottomans had named "emir of the desert" ( çöl beyi ) in the region, actually managed to capture the governor of Homs to hold him for ransom. The countryside of Homs saw an increase in Bedouin raids in

12400-534: The seventh century A.D.; another points to St. Maron , a monk in the late fourth and early fifth centuries (who is considered by many to be the true origin of the Maronite Church). The words "maron" or "marun" in Syriac mean "small lord." In the late seventh century, as a result of persecutions from other Christians for the heterodox views they had adopted, the Maronites withdrew from the coastal regions into

12524-590: The son of Umar Ubayd Allah , are located in the city. During the First Fitna , the conflict between the Umayyad dynasty and their partisans and Ali and his partisans, the inhabitants of Homs allied themselves with Ali. When he was defeated, the Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya hived the northern half of Jund Hims to form a separate district, Jund Qinnasrin , apparently as punishment. Ali's oratory ( mashhad 'Ali )

12648-483: The southeast, Maskanah , al-Nuqayrah , Abil and Kafr Aya to the south, al-Qusayr , Qattinah and al-Buwaydah al-Sharqiyah to the southwest, Khirbet Tin Nur to the west, al-Dar al-Kabirah to the northwest, al-Ghantu , Teir Maalah , al-Mukhtariyah and Talbiseh to the north, al-Mishirfeh to the northeast and Fairouzeh and Zaidal to the east. The Old City is the most condensed area of Homs, and it includes

12772-466: The suburbs of Sidon. They have a relatively higher level of education than other denominations. Proud of their Arab heritage, Greek Catholics have been able to strike a balance between their openness to the Arab world and their identification with the West. Greek Catholics are estimated to constitute 5% of the population. The Protestants of Lebanon form the fourth-largest Christian group, representing 1% of

12896-414: The uprising. The Center for Documenting Violations in Syria claims that at least 1,770 people have been killed in Homs since the uprising began. On 9 December 2015, under a UN-negotiated deal, the remnants of anti-government forces and their families, that had been under siege the al-Waer district for three years, began to evacuate from the city. The Governorate of Homs is the largest in Syria. Homs,

13020-538: The west in the neighbourhood of Jouret al-Shayyah, and further west are the upscale neighbourhoods of Qusoor, al-Qarabis, al-Baghtasia, al-Mahatta, al-Hamra, al-Inshaat, Karm al-Shami, al-Ghouta and Baba Amr . The suburb of al-Waer is located even further west, separated from the city by areas of farmland called al-Basatin and the Orontes River forming a green belt where it is forbidden to build anything. The Baath University complex and dormitories are located on

13144-418: The west, lies the more recent and modern suburb of al-Waer. The city spans an area of 4,800 hectares (19 sq mi). Homs is located 162 kilometres (101 mi) north of Damascus , 193 kilometres (120 mi) south of Aleppo , 47 kilometres (29 mi) south of Hama , and 186 kilometres (116 mi) southeast of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast. Nearby towns and villages include al-Rayyan to

13268-469: The western-southern edge of the city next to the neighbourhood of Akrama. Homs has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ). Homs' location ensures that it receives softening influences and breezes from the Mediterranean. As a result, the city has a much milder climate than nearby Hama, with higher average rainfall of 18 inches (460 mm) instead of 14 inches (360 mm), but it also experiences greater winds. Homs

13392-726: Was captured by the 5th Cavalry Division of the Allied forces . During the French mandate , Homs was part of the State of Damascus . It was considered for some time to become the capital of the Syrian Federation . In Autumn 1925, the city joined Damascus and the southern Druze chieftains in a full-blown revolt against French rule. In 1932, the French moved their military academy from Damascus to Homs to be established in 1933, later known as Homs Military Academy , and it remained

13516-560: Was "threatened with ruin." He stated that when the city was conquered by the Muslims they turned half of its church into a mosque. For around thirty years during the 10th century, Homs was raided by the Byzantines led by Nikephoros II Phokas in October 968, and its inhabitants were subject to slaughter and plunder while the Great Mosque of al-Nuri was briefly restored as a church. In 974–975, John I Tzimiskes managed to control

13640-558: Was annexed to the Roman province of Syria , between 72 and the date of the construction of the Tomb of Sampsigeramus (78–79). Under the Romans, Emesa began to show attributes of a Greek city-state and traces of Roman town planning still remain. Its transformation into a major city was completed under the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161) when Emesa began to mint coins . By the 3rd century, it grew prosperous and well integrated into

13764-594: Was bombed by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) during the 1973 Yom Kippur War . From May 2011 – May 2014, the city was under siege by the Syrian Army and security forces. The Syrian government claims it is targeting "armed gangs" and "terrorists" in the area. According to the Syrian opposition, Homs has since become a "blighted city", where authorities regularly block deliveries of medicine, food and fuel to

13888-734: Was canonically in union with both in 1724). Although they fully accept Catholic doctrines as defined by the Holy See , they have generally remained close to the Greek Orthodox Church, retaining more of the ancient rituals and customs than have the Maronites. They employ Arabic and Greek and follow the Byzantine rite. The highest official of the church since 1930 has been the Patriarch of Antioch, who resides at Ayn Traz, about twenty-four kilometers southeast of Beirut. The patriarch

14012-504: Was executed for treason. It was in 32 that Heliopolis and the Beqaa Valley came under the kingdom's control. Relations with the Roman government grew closer when King Sohaemus inherited the kingship. Under him, Emesa sent the Roman military a regular levy of archers and assisted them in their siege of Jerusalem in 70. Sohaemus had died in 73. According to Maurice Sartre , the dynasty was very likely deprived of its kingdom, which

14136-490: Was exported as far as the Ottoman capital Istanbul . In addition to weaving industries, there were olive oil presses and water mills for wheat and sesame , while grapes and rice , grown in the surrounding marshlands from the 16th century, were found in abundance in the city's markets. Moreover, the markets of Homs were the center of a trade in livestock, where flocks of sheep and goats coming from Aleppo met camels and cattle moving north from Damascus. The coming of

14260-423: Was in decay and only its covered markets "retained their beauty." In 1785 French traveller, Volney wrote of the city's once great importance and its current "miserable" condition. He described it as a large, but ruined village administratively dependent on Damascus. The Ottomans did little to revitalise Homs or ensure its security against Bedouin raids. Tribal unrest throughout the 17th and 18th centuries resulted in

14384-492: Was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire and consequently suffered a greater political eclipse, but it continued to thrive as an economic center, processing the agricultural and pastoral products that flowed to it from surrounding districts. Homs was particularly well known for silk and wool weaving, especially the alaja , which was mottled muslin run through with gold threads and used in feminine apparel. This silk

14508-443: Was introduced to Lebanon after the first century AD, its spread was very slow, particularly in the mountainous areas where paganism was still unyielding. The earliest indisputable tradition of Christianity in Lebanon can be traced back to Saint Maron in the 4th century AD, being of Greek/Eastern/Antiochian Orthodox origin and the founder of national and ecclesiastical Maronitism. Saint Maron adopted an ascetic and reclusive life on

14632-526: Was located in the city, and Islamic tradition claims his fingerprints are engraved on it. Despite repression by the Umayyads, Homs remained a center of Shia Islam for a while longer. As a stronghold of the Banu Kalb, a Yamani tribe, the city became heavily involved in the Qays–Yaman rivalry . The last Umayyad caliph, Marwan II , enjoyed the support of the Qays and subsequently razed the city walls in response to

14756-461: Was often a prize. In 1149 the Mosul -based Zangids under Nur al-Din captured the city. Muslim geographer al-Idrisi noted in 1154 that Homs was populous, had paved streets, possessed one of the largest mosques in Syria, contained open markets, and was frequented by travellers attracted to its "products and rarities of all kinds." He also reported that its residents were "pleasant; living with them

14880-412: Was one of the largest cities in Syria in the 12th century with a population of 7,000. In 1785, the inhabitants of Homs numbered more than 2,000 and the population was divided almost evenly between Eastern Orthodox Christians and Muslims. The 1860s saw a rise in the population to 15,000–20,000. By 1907, Homs had roughly 65,000 inhabitants, of which two-thirds were Muslims and the remainder Christians. In

15004-637: Was the bishop of Emesa. During the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 , Emesa fell in 613 to Shahrbaraz and was in Sasanian hands until near the end of the war. Prior to the Muslim conquest of the Levant , tribes of Arabia , particularly the Banu Kalb , settled around Emesa, ensuring its position as an important center for the Qays and Yaman tribes . The Byzantine emperor Heraclius abandoned

15128-475: Was the third-largest city in Syria after Aleppo to the north and the capital Damascus to the south. Its population reflected Syria's general religious diversity, composed of Sunni and Alawite Muslims, and Christians . There are a number of historic mosques and churches in the city, and it is close to the Krak des Chevaliers castle, a World Heritage Site . Homs did not emerge into the historical record until

15252-542: Was well established under the Byzantine Empire ; however, few ancient Christian inscriptions exist in Homs today. Under the Byzantines, the city became an important center for Eastern Christianity . Initially a diocese , Homs was given the status of ecclesiastical metropolis after the discovery of John the Baptist 's head in a nearby cave in 452. Nemesius , who lived in the fourth or early fifth century AD,

15376-644: Was widely considered by Christians to degrade their role in Lebanon, by removing much of the President's role (which is allocated to the Maronites ), and bolstering the roles of the Prime Minister (a Sunni ) and the Speaker of Parliament ( Shia ), the Lebanese President nevertheless still wields considerable power. The constitutional remit of the president includes the role of Commander in Chief of

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