Hadchit's 'Valley of the Saints:' Preserving 400 years of sacred Christian history

In this valley hiding centuries of struggle and sacred history that lasted for 400 years, the sky feels closer. As you traverse the valley of Hadchit, each of the 9,000 steps unveils a story from Christian history dating back to the Middle Ages.

On your way to the Saint Behnam Monastery, you are greeted by the altar of Saint Sarkis, which embraces one of the largest and oldest oaks in the valley.

Approximately 100 meters deeper into the valley, the Saint Behnam Church reveals itself - a heritage that time could not erase. On these rocks, remnants of ancient murals believed to belong to a revered saint are visible, with black pigment depicting robes.

The passing millennia could not erase the faith embodied in these monasteries. 

In the Church of Saint Chmouni, which you enter through an "arch," the architecture hints at the Mamluk era. About two months ago, during the restoration of the altar, medieval murals were discovered, leading to a temporary halt in construction to study and preserve them. 

Beside it is a mural depicting the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You cannot walk through the Hadchit Valley without encountering the blessings of the Monastery of the Cross, which has a mural of the crucified Christ in the middle and is decorated with a painting of the Annunciation and paintings of several Christ's disciples. 

On the walls are Syriac and Arabic manuscripts believed to be by Arab mystics

Hadchit's valley doesn't run out of monastic stories, from Saint Beskwan to Saint Silwan, culminating in the Saint Anthony Al-Bedwani hermitage, 30 meters above the church in the rock.

Inside, there are engravings of triangular crosses that are rare in Lebanon, and stones carved with crosses symbolizing the passage of the Crusaders. 

These four monasteries, including the Monastery of Saint Asia, have been under ongoing restoration efforts to preserve a history standing strong against both natural and historical forces.

Only these mountains truly understand the steadfastness of the faith our ancestors lived, and only the path through this valley comprehends the serenity experienced by those who choose to pass through the gates of Hadchit's "Valley of the Saints."