MIRACLE OF OUR LADY OF LEBANON CHURCH
As one enters the Church of
Our Lady of Lebanon, in Wheeling, West Virginia, the eye will immediately
focus on a central uniquely celebrated feature, a portrait of Mary dedicated
under the title of Our Lady of Lebanon, displayed within the sanctuary,
just above the tabernacle. One will notice Mary’s outstretched maternal
hands beckoning; also incorporated within the design’s background are the
famous Cedars of Lebanon, the age-old symbol of the title our Maronite
faithful attribute to “As-Saidy” (The Noble Lady).
The newly constructed church
was but ten years old when it was gutted by fire, December 19, 1932. Saved
was the life-sized (4’ x 6’) framed icon of Our Lady suspended undamaged
above her shrine! Many of the local firemen at the blazing scene attest
to its miraculous preservation. There was an account of a certain firefighter’s
own experience, one of which stated that he directed the main pressure
hose to be leveled at the image, while the water with all its velocity
was diverted from the picture. And still later the delicate painting in
oils had plummeted twenty-five feet without damage!
Following the fire, the Blessed
Mother appeared to both the bishop and the pastor simultaneously in a dream
with the message that her portrait be hung above the main altar. In an
effort to rebuild the destroyed church, devoted parishioners initiated
the Mahrajan (Festival) in order to secure the funds to construct today’s
existing church where the miraculous portrait can be seen today.