The Story of Fr. Yacoub Church

   In the year 1932, Father Yacoub constructed a building on the summit of the Mount of the Cross and made it a place to store provisions.  In case of heavy rainfall, the saint would celebrate the Eucharist there. This place was never considered to be a church.

In the years of the Lebanese war (1975-1990), many foreign armies passed through and stayed in this place.  They made it a base for their military operations.  When these armies left, this building was relatively forgotten and was abandoned for almost eighteen years.

The mission of restoration:

Early in 2008, I felt a strong desire in my heart to restore this place.  I intended that a few days after the canonization of Father Yacoub, this place would be dedicated as the first church named in honor of Father Yacoub.  The desire burned within me, reminding me that this would be a historical opportunity for Deir-El-Kamar and for the Christians in the Chouf region.

Yes, it was indeed a historical opportunity for the people who live in the Chouf area and for those who suffered from the persecution and the expulsion during the years of war.  Even now they suffer from the political and economic blockades, which discourage the youth into emigration.  So I met with Mr. Kamil Habib and the engineer, Tony Yazbeck, and we all decided to go forward to achieve our goal.

The approval of the general president:

                                                                                                                              

I called the general president of the assembly of the Sisters of the Cross and I explained to her about my wish and desire.  I told her that I was aware that the nuns were busy these days in preparation for the canonization of Father Yacoub in Beirut. I asked if she would grant us permission to restore the building to make a church in his honor.

Two days later she called me and gave me permission to proceed.  So I started praying, using the three principles, which I had followed before during the construction of the Lamb of God shrine: not to take any money from the order, not to take out any loans and not to use any advertising for funding.

A scream to Father Yacoub:

The first step I made was to call friends and tell them about the project.  We received no financial help.  A couple of weeks later, I went up to the Mount of the Cross, I looked at a big picture of Father Yacoub and I cried out to him, “Will you help me or not?  Do you want this place to be the first church named in your honor or not?”  I went home very sad.

The intercession of Father Yacoub:

The next day on the first of March 2008, Sister Salwa Islambouli, president of the convent of the Sisters of the Cross, called me and asked me to come right over. I hurried and she told me that a very rich man came and wanted to do something on the mountain of the cross. So, she told him I had begun working.  He asked to meet with me.

I understood that Father Yacoub had sent us this man and I went with her to see him.

He listened to the story and contributed by giving us thousands of dollars.  This was only the beginning.

Two days later, I was sitting in my office when I received a phone call from a strange person who said, "Father, I have read the story of the Lamb of God shrine and I was really impressed.  I am a company manager for construction materials. You may consider my company as yours and you can take whatever you need for free."  I immediately understood that Father Yacoub had sent this man to help us.

On the 8^th of March 2008, after a night that I spent worried because I needed $5000 to widen the road of the Mount of the Cross and to build a wall, I was praying in my heart.   I went to the metropolitan of Saida, to a meeting for the priests of the parish.  As I was sitting with my brother priests, I received a phone call from a person in Beirut who said, "Father, I am going to send you a check for $5000."

I was overjoyed and I called the owner of a jackhammer to widen the road.  I met with the construction worker and instructed him to start the work. This is how the road was widened and we built the 700-meter wall.  God and Father Yacoub began to send us the assistance we needed.

On the 25^th of March 2008, Mr. Kamil Habib was visiting a family and he told them about the restoration project and the family donated five hundred rocky stones to the project.  A few weeks later, we went to Jezzine to look for an altar for the church of Father Yacoub. The engineer, Tony Yazbeck, was wandering everywhere looking for this altar. He prayed in his heart asking Father Yacoub’s intercession and suddenly he found the stone of the altar hidden among rocks and soil.  The owner of the factory took the initiative and gave us what we needed as a present.

At one point in time I hadn't enough money to proceed with the project.  A friend advised me to write letters and send them to rich people in hopes that I would find what I needed.  So I sent about ten letters, but only one person answered me.  I understood that God is the One who wants to restore this place and make it a church.  He would provide.

In mid-April 2008, there was only $20 left in the box.   I knew I would have to dismiss the workers the next day because there was no more money. I prayed and said to Father Yacoub, "I'll take out no loans.  If you want to rebuild this place and make it the first church in your name, help me."  Shortly afterward, a school friend I hadn’t seen in fourteen years visited the Lamb of God shrine and was impressed by the story of this place.  After his visit he felt that he wanted to help so he donated $17,000.  He told me later that something from within him inspired him to help.

Again, in mid-May, 2008, I found myself with only $44 left in the fund.  I planned to dismiss all the workers the next day.  After I celebrated the Eucharist, a person came near me and said, "Father, I want to talk to you.  I had a business trip planned to one of the Arabic countries to participate in an annual seminar.  I didn't want to go. So I prayed to Father Yacoub and I said to him, "I don't want to go on that trip.  If you can do something to help me, I will donate the price of my ticket to your church.  The very next day, serious confrontations broke out in Beirut and the Mount of Lebanon, which resulted in the closing of the airport.  The annual seminar was cancelled and here I am, giving you a check for $1,000, which was the price of my ticket."

At the end of May, there was only $67 left in the box, so I again planned to dismiss the workers the next day.  The next morning, I received a phone call from a person I know in Beirut.  He said, "Father, I wish to donate the dome and the bell of the church. What else do you still need?" 

I mentioned that we still needed to pave the churchyard and a few other things.  He promised to call me back that night.  When he called, he said, “Tomorrow I will send you a check for $6,000."

In this way we accomplished our work.  There are many more stories to tell and if I recorded all of them, I would need books to write them.  During three months, we restored the building, which Father Yacoub built.

The celebrations of the beatification of Father Yacoub:

On the 21^st of June 2008, the occasion of the beatification of Father Yacoub, celebrations in Deir-El-Kamar began with a huge procession. It began at the statue of Father Yacoub in the town and continued to the summit of the Mount of the Cross.  Believers gathered at half past seven at night.  The procession included a body of priests and a band of musicians, Al-Ahrar Kferdibyan.  The band and the choir of Saydet El-Talley played and sang beautiful anthems.  We processed with candles.  I was holding the Blessed Sacrament in the Monstrance that the Beatified used on special occasions.

When we arrived at the entryway of the Mount of the Cross, a light breeze was touching the faces of the people and tickling their hearts.  I looked at the crowd and I shivered because of an indescribable joy and because there were thousands of people. At the entryway, we built a tower on which we put a statue of Jesus, donated by a person from Deir-El-Kamar a few days before the procession.

The crowd stopped to look at the statue covered with a red cloth, wondering what that was.  The band was playing and all eyes were looking at the tower.

Then Mr. Kamil Habib lifted the piece of cloth and the statue of Jesus appeared with both hands opened to welcome the crowd on the Mount of the Cross.

The hearts of thousands of people were moved at seeing this scene.  Many cried because of joy and affection.  We reached the square of the Cross, which Father Yacoub set up and there we spent the evening in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

The "Télé Lumière" TV station broadcasted the unique celebration for four hours.

The 21^st of June 1860 brought a tragedy for the people of Deir-El-Kamar and the 21^st of June 2008 brought a beautiful ceremony for the people in Deir-El-Kamar. 

On the 22^nd of June 2008, Father Yacoub the capuchin was beatified in Beirut. On the 24^th of June 2008, the reverend bishop Elias Nassar inaugurated the project as the first church in the world that holds the name of the Beatified Father Yacoub.

And since then, crowds have come in to the Mount of the Cross, this holy place. They visit the Lamb of God shrine and the church of Father Yacoub. And when they go back to their homes, their hearts are overflowing with joy, peace and sanctity.