The Miraculous Sea Lady Church
19th century (unspecified)
Batrun, Lebanon
This simple Greek Orthodox Church in the northern coastal city of Batroun in Lebanon has long been popular with Christian pilgrims. Famous for its many historic churches, which serve the local Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic communities, Batroun is a symbol of intercommunal and interfaith harmony.
1835
Sharjah Art Museum / Sharjah Museums Authority
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)
According to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Sanctuary at Hebron houses the graves of Abraham, his wife Sarah, and their family. According to Judaism, it is the second holiest site after Jerusalem. In the Islamic faith, the site is revered because of its associations with Abraham; Muslims view the city of Hebron (Al-Khalil) as one of the sacred cities of their faith.
The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia, Volume 1, title page
Published 1842
Sharjah Art Museum / Sharjah Museums Authority
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)
A vignette, depicting the façade of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, located on the spot where, according to the Christian tradition, the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His burial took place. It was Easter when the British artist David Roberts visited, a time when the square in front of the church would have been crowded with pilgrims and traders selling their wares. Nevertheless, the artist shows the scene not with contemporary life milling around the church, but enlivened only with his usual repertoire of carefully staged, “Oriental” types.
Chancel of the Church of St Helena
Published 1843
Sharjah Art Museum / Sharjah Museums Authority
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, one of the foremost pilgrimage sites according to the Christian tradition, would have been a highlight on the itinerary of 19th-century European travellers to the Holy Land. As is typical of the work of the British artist David Roberts, he has exaggerated the proportions of the architecture in relation to the human figures, which appear dwarfed by the majesty and monumentality of the structures that surround them.
National Evangelical Church of Beirut
1848
Beirut, Lebanon
The National Evangelical Church of Beirut, established in 1848 by American missionaries, was furnished with the present building in 1869. As the home of the first native Arabic Protestant congregation in the Middle East, the church has been an important focus for Christian visitors to the region.
1864
Downtown Beirut, Lebanon
The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Louis Des Capuchins in Beirut was established in 1864 by Capuchin missionaries who had worked in Lebanon since the 17th century. Later, during the French Mandate of Lebanon (1920–43), the cathedral, which is named after King Louis XI of France, saw a much increased congregation.
Late 19th century
Sharjah Art Museum / Sharjah Museums Department
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)
Mount Tabor is an important biblical site associated in the Christian tradition with the Transfiguration of Christ, one of the miracles of Jesus, as described in the Gospels. In 1799, during Napoleon Bonaparte’s expedition to the area, the valley between Mount Tabor and the Hill of Moreh saw a decisive battle in which a French force of about 3,000 soldiers, under the command of Napoleon and General Jean Baptiste Kléber, faced a Mamluk force of about 20,000 soldiers.
1908
Harissa, Keserwan, Lebanon
A widely admired landmark of Lebanon, the Lady of Harissa is a Marian shrine in Lebanon that is visited by large numbers of Christian pilgrims.