History

The cave where the Virgin Mary awaited for Jesus

Our Lady of Mantara is a place of pilgrimage located at the diocese of Saida in Lebanon. According to the tradition, it is a cave where the Virgin Mary awaited for Jesus while he was preaching in Sidon  (Saida nowadays); this is the origin of the name Mantara which means waiting.

In fact, Jewish women were not allowed to enter pagan villages. Gospels witness the coming of Jesus to Sidon where he cured the daughter of a woman from Canaan. 
(Mat 15,21-28 and Mark 7,24-31)


The cave where the Virgin Mary awaited for Jesus

Since the dawn of Christianity, the early Christians turned this cave into a place of prayers and pilgrimage. However, in the 13th century for different political reasons, Christians escaped from the region and stayed away for about 200 years. Scrubs invaded the cave and it was completely forgotten.

In the 16th century, by a stroke of luck the cave was rediscovered.


How the cave was rediscovered

    History tells the following story: one day a shepherd was in the surroundings of the cave keeping his herd sitting under an oak tree, he was playing the flute, when suddenly he heard the bleating of one of his kids in pain. He ran in the direction of the squeal and found that a kid has fallen in a well (it’s the opening in the ceiling of the cave above the altar) he took his knife to clear the area and open a way. He was so happy to discover a narrow path leading to the deep back of a cave! He got into the cave by crawling. His anguish turned into happiness when he found at the back of the cave an icon of the Virgin Mary on an ancient altar. He then got out rapidly, left his herd and went to break the good news to the

inhabitants of Maghdouche.Crowds hurried to discover this deserted cave long time ago, and to observe the icon of the Virgin. Belles were sound to announce the event and processions were organized in the village. That’s how the cult was practiced again in this cave.