Our Lady of Zahle and the Bekaa

Our Lady of Zahle and the Bekaa is a Melkite Greek Catholic shrine crowning Tel Chiha hill, overlooking Zahle and the Bekaa Valley. The project was initiated in 1958 by Archbishop Euthymios Youakim. Its 10-meter statue of the Virgin and Child stands atop a 54-meter tower clad in white marble, which was inaugurated on 9 September 1968. Construction and later restoration were repeatedly interrupted by the Lebanese Civil War, and the shrine reopened after renovation during a ceremony in May 2005. An elevator carries pilgrims to a viewing platform offering panoramic views of Zahle's red-roofed skyline and the Bekaa plain, while a small chapel is located at the base of the tower. Known as the Bride of the Bekaa, Zahle celebrates the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August with processions and gatherings that draw pilgrims from across the valley.