St. Elias Al-Mokhallesiyeh Church – Haret Mar Elias 

St. Elias Al-Mokhallesiyeh Church, affiliated with the Basilian Salvatorian Order, is among the earliest churches of Zahle (the second-oldest church in Zahle after Our Lady of Zahle). It was known as the “Village Church” because old Zahle grew around it, and the neighborhood surrounding it was named after its patron saint, St. Elias.

• It was built by the Shuweiri monks between 1720–1730 and later entrusted to the Salvatorian Fathers. The Shuweiri monks then built St. Michael Church (in the Lower Quarter) as a replacement, during the time of Bishop Eftimos Fadel, who transferred the episcopal residence from Ferzol to Zahle in 1727.
• It is mentioned in “Dawani al-Qutuf” by the scholar Issa Iskander Al-Maalouf that St. Elias Church of the Salvatorian Fathers is a small church and among the oldest built in Zahle in the early eighteenth century. It was established by the Shuweiri fathers, then given to the Salvatorian fathers, who received it while the Shuweiri fathers built St. Michael Church in exchange.
• The church was renovated several times (as dated on plaques above its doors): 1790 (a plaque above the entrance made by Iskander Zakhour of Lebanon) – 1900 (during the time of Fr. Athanasius Sarouji; plaque above the main door) – 1960 after a complete fire caused by an electrical short in 1959, through the efforts of Fr. Athanasius Nassoura, who served the parish for many years and whose name became closely linked to St. Elias Al-Mokhallesiyeh (plaque above the eastern door) – and 2012 (through the efforts of Fr. Elias Mayo).
• In 1853, Salim Abou Mrad was born in a modest home near the church. He later became a Salvatorian monk known as Father Beshara Abou Mrad. He died with a reputation for holiness in 1930, and was proclaimed Venerable in 2010. His cause for beatification was raised to Rome. He is considered the “Patron of the Quarter”, and his home has become a place of prayer and spiritual retreat, granting graces to those who seek his intercession in faith.
• In 1899, Fares Qreitem donated the baptismal font carved in stone (commemorated by a marble plaque above the font).
• In 1988, a large hall was established for parish activities (the youth generation).
• In 2003, the church was equipped with modern sound systems.
• In 2004, the cornerstone was laid for a new parish hall after purchasing and demolishing the house adjacent to the church, thereby expanding the space allocated for the hall.
• In 2010, the current monastery was renovated and rebuilt with its halls, salons, priests’ bedrooms, offices, and rooms for parish activities, through a donation from Mr. Wadie Al-Absi.
• During the renovation, a pit was discovered under the church floor at a depth of about 3 meters, along with a corridor and a wooden-roofed passage leading to a tomb built of large stones and a vaulted chamber located in front of the right-side altar. Inside were 35 remains belonging to skeletal structures—mostly priests identified by their vestments—and it is believed that two lay persons may be among them. This tomb was restored and is planned to become a shrine open to visitors, after receiving holy relics of the Venerable Father Beshara Abou Mrad, who used to pray in this church as a child, being from this parish; his home is only a few meters away.
• The church accommodates approximately 300–500 worshippers and is distinguished by having no columns or pillars; its roof and tiles rest solely on the walls. It preserves within its walls eighteenth-century icons of Christ and the Virgin, as well as other valuable old icons. It also contains a large chandelier artistically assembled from the older small chandeliers that were once distributed inside the church, designed so it can be safely raised and lowered for maintenance.

Priests Who Served in the Parish

Population of St. Elias Al-Mokhallesiyeh Parish

Institutions, Associations, and Confraternities in the Parish

• 1928: The parish had an episcopal school with 59 students, founded in 1884, License No. 583 (Directorate of Education).
• Currently: Confraternity of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Confraternity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Confraternity of St. Thecla, the Church Choir, the Children’s Apostolic Movement (Midad), the Unified Parish Council, and youth activities.

The Unified Parish Council

Fr. Ibrahim Haddad

(Decree 50/2000 – 12/4/2000)

Gentlemen: Jean Skaff, Emile Al-Nahhas, Elias Nasr, Elias Attallah, Jean Balash, Walid Aboukhater, Paul Skaff (Secretary)

Ladies: Marcelle Al-Haddad, Randa Attallah, Helga Jwani