Ras Baalbek

Village in Baalbek-Hermel, Lebanon

Ras Baalbek رأس بعلبك
Village
Our Lady of Ras Baalbek Convent
34°15′35″N 36°25′25″E / 34.25972°N 36.42361°E / 34.25972; 36.42361
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Baalbek-Hermel
District	Baalbek
Elevation	3,000 ft (1,000 m)
Population (2015)
• Total	15,000

Ras Baalbek (Arabic: رأس بعلبك) is a village in the northern Beqaa Valley in Lebanon.

History

Ras Baalbek is 500 metres west of a Neolithic rock shelter called Ras Baalbek I.

To the east there are ruins that are alleged to be the remains of a Roman aqueduct. Inhabitants of the village have confirmed it was once called "Connaya," suggesting a link to the ancient settlement of Conna, mentioned in the work of Antonius.^[1] Notable features include the monastery of "Our Lady of Ras Baalbek" (Deir Saidat ar-Ras) and two Byzantine churches. One church is in the centre of the village and the other lies by the Roman aqueduct.^[1]

In 1838, Eli Smith noted Ras Baalbek's population as being predominantly Catholic Christian.^[2]

In 2014, the war with ISIS in the nearby village of Arsal resulted in the residents of Ras Baalbek forming a militia to protect the village. The militias were allied to the Lebanese Armed Forces.^[3] In September 2016 the Lebanese Army attacked Islamic State positions near Ras Baalbek.^[4]

Demographics

Around 15,000 people live in Ras Baalbek. The population is entirely Christian, mainly Greek Catholic,^[5]^[6] having switched from Greek Orthodoxy in 1721.^[7]

The village is fashion designer Zuhair Murad's hometown.

References

^ ^a ^b Michel M. Alouf (July 1999). History of Baalbek. Book Tree. pp. 45–. ISBN 978-1-58509-063-1. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
^ Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. 144
^ ANNE BARNARD (1 Nov 2014). "Clashes on Syrian Border Split Lebanese Town". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^ News Desk. "Lebanese Army attacks ISIS near Syrian border". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
^ Robert Boulanger (1966). The Middle East: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Iran. Hachette. p. 212.
^ Justin Salhani (24 Sep 2014). "Ras Baalbek's Christians take up arms". The Daily Star. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^ "Our Lady of Ras Baalbek". Archived from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.

Bibliography

Robinson, E.; Smith, E. (1841). Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the year 1838. Vol. 3. Boston: Crocker & Brewster.