Saint Maria Goretti Shrine

Saint Maria Goretti Shrine is a Maronite shrine in Miziara, in the Zgharta District of North Lebanon, dedicated to Saint Maria Goretti, the Italian virgin martyr known especially for her witness to forgiveness. The shrine was inaugurated on September 24, 2022, and is recognized as the first shrine in Lebanon and the Middle East dedicated to the saint. Built on a hillside in Miziara, the shrine forms part of the “Roses and Candles” project created in memory of Raya Chidiac, a young woman from Miziara who died in 2017. Her story and the forgiveness associated with Saint Maria Goretti became a central inspiration for the shrine. The site also houses a relic of Saint Maria Goretti and includes a memorial to Raya Chidiac. Its interior features a large ceiling mural depicting Christ, the Virgin Mary, Lebanese saints, Saint Maria Goretti, and Raya, while the surrounding grounds incorporate three large candle structures reflecting the shrine’s spiritual symbolism. Today, the shrine serves as a place of prayer, pilgrimage, remembrance, and reflection on faith, forgiveness, purity, and hope.