EWTN News, in collaboration with its news partner in the Middle East and North Africa, ACI MENA, has launched a documentary titled "Christianity in Lebanon: Rock of Faith."
The documentary highlights Lebanon's religious diversity and richness, especially among members of its Christian community. It examines their history, the reality of their presence today, and the sources of their resilience amid a complex political landscape and the challenges of economic crisis, war, and emigration, as well as the role of the younger generation and its efforts to build a brighter future.
Opening with a sweeping scene from atop the statue of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa overlooking Beirut, journalist Colm Flynn begins his journey through a people known for their cultural richness, deep faith, and steadfast endurance, searching for an answer to one pressing question: What does the future hold for Lebanon?
Charbel and Leo
The documentary was filmed during Pope Leo XIV's historic visit to Lebanon, his first apostolic journey there, late last year. Its producers chose to focus on one of the visit's most prominent stops: the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya. In the documentary, Father Louis Matar, the monastery's caretaker, where Lebanon's best-known saint, St. Charbel, is buried, recounts the saint's life in its successive stages.
He points to the saint's special place among Lebanese people and believers more broadly as well as his worldwide renown. Many visit his tomb asking for his intercession, trusting that God will answer their prayers. The number of visitors to his shrine surpassed 4.5 million in 2025 — including Pope Leo.
An ancient history
The documentary traces the history of Christianity in Lebanon back to the first century, when the first apostles and their disciples brought the good news there. It shows how Christianity took root over the centuries, with religious orders flourishing and churches thriving, especially the Maronite Church, which remained in communion with Rome and helped shape the country's religious and cultural identity.
In this context, Bishop Michel Aoun, president of the executive committee of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, in the documentary highlights the connection between the apostles Paul and Mark and the Lebanese cities of Tyre and Byblos as evidence of Christianity's presence in Lebanon from its earliest centuries. He notes that Christians made up nearly 60% of the population at the time of the country's founding, compared with about 30% today.
Lebanon's Christians and Muslims
Recalling the words of St. John Paul II, "Lebanon is more than a country; it is a message," Aoun says views differ regarding Christian-Muslim coexistence in Lebanon. Some believe what unites them is greater than what divides them and attribute the fragility of coexistence to Lebanon's being caught in conflicts larger than itself. Others warn that Christians' political role has shrunk, leaving them to pay the price for conflicts in which they are not a party.
Ongoing suffering
The documentary also revisits painful events that have shaken Lebanon, beginning with the civil war in the mid-1970s, which divided Beirut into eastern and western sectors, followed by the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, the financial and economic collapse, the Beirut port explosion, and the war now raging and its consequences for the country, especially the towns and villages of the south.
A shared bleeding
Successive wars and crises have forced Lebanese people, both Christians and Muslims, to emigrate. Notably, Lebanon's population is about 6 million, while nearly 15 million other Lebanese live abroad around the world. Some have returned in an attempt to build a new life in their homeland, but others, according to the documentary, do not seem to be thinking of returning.
Sharbel Bou Maroun, president of the Levant Center for Studies and Research, says the economic situation is going from bad to worse, and millions of Lebanese around the world feel there is no longer anything to return to. Mounting crises continue to push more people to leave, while others remain firmly attached to staying, saying, "This is our land, our roots are here, and we helped found this country."
Despair and witnesses of hope
In the face of the psychological harm and discouragement caused by repeated crises, especially among young people, some have turned to alcohol or drugs as a way to escape. But many more remain attached to hope.
The documentary offers life stories that embody this perseverance. Singer Rima Turk sees her talent as a blessing from God and has dedicated it to praising and glorifying him. Through her service with the Nasroto association, she works to help people struggling with addiction recover through psychological and spiritual support, which she describes as the most effective path.
William Noun lost his brother, firefighter Joseph, in the Beirut port explosion while he and his colleagues were trying to extinguish a fire that preceded the blast. But he did not lose hope. In the documentary, he recounts his pain and the "breath of peace" he felt when the pope met them at the port and prayed in silence. William continues to raise his voice in pursuit of justice for the victims of the explosion.
The experience of Dr. Amal Chaaya is also featured in the documentary. She speaks of how her faith helped her transform the suffering of losing her sight into insight, work, and creativity, thanking the Lord who gave her strength to carry that cross.
The documentary also presents the experience of Charbel and Giovanni Latif and their efforts through the Christians of the East platform to shed light on their history, current reality, and steadfastness, especially for members of the diaspora, so that they remain connected to their homelands.
Pope Leo's visit
Pope Leo XIV's visit to Lebanon receives in-depth attention in the documentary. It captures the atmosphere of joy and popular enthusiasm that accompanied it, especially among young people, both Christian and Muslim, and how prominently it featured across media and social platforms. It also presents differing views regarding the visit.
Lebanon's Christians do not deny the pain. Yet despite successive crises, wars, and their heavy consequences, their faith remains firm, their endurance steadfast, and their hope for a better tomorrow unbroken. In all of this, they offer the clearest answer to the pressing question about the future.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
