Rue de l'Émir Bachir, Beirut, Lebanon
St. George Maronite Cathedral
The cathedral of the Maronite Archeparchy of Beirut, a 19th-century church in downtown Beirut that was heavily damaged in the Lebanese Civil War and rebuilt as a sign of the Maronite community's endurance.
St. George's stands in the Nejmeh Square district of downtown Beirut, a block from the ruins of ancient Roman baths. The original cathedral was built in 1884 on the site of a medieval Crusader church. During the Lebanese Civil War, the building was gutted by shelling and neglect — it sat on the Green Line that divided the city. After the war ended in 1990, the Maronite community rebuilt the cathedral, finishing in 2000. The restoration uncovered archaeological remains beneath the floor, now visible through glass panels. The interior is restrained and luminous, with pale stone, a coffered ceiling, and icons in the Eastern style. The Maronites are the largest Eastern Catholic church in full communion with Rome, and this cathedral is their most visible presence in the Lebanese capital.
Diocese: Maronite Archeparchy of Beirut