Our Lady of Nourieh Monastery, meaning "Our Lady of Light," traces its origin, according to longstanding Christian tradition, to a legend associated with the 4th century. Two sailors lost in a storm off Cape Theoprosopon prayed to the Virgin Mary and were guided safely to shore by a radiant light shining from the cliffs. In gratitude, they carved a cave shrine into the rock. A larger Greek Orthodox monastery was established beside the cave during the 17th century. According to local tradition, the monastery's revered icon of the Theotokos miraculously shone to guide ships safely along the coast. During the Lebanese Civil War, a bullet struck the icon's protective glass without penetrating it and remains lodged there today. Perched 287 meters above the Mediterranean Sea, the monastery welcomes thousands of pilgrims each August 15 for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, while visitors of many faiths come throughout the year to admire its dramatic clifftop setting overlooking Chekka Bay and the northern Lebanese coast.