Ain Ebel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ain Ebel عين إبل |
|
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Lebanon |
| Governorate | Nabatieh Governorate |
| District | Bint Jbeil District |
| Geography | |
  Ain Ebel
Location of Ain Ebel, Lebanon
|
|
| Elevation | 750–850 m (2,461–2,789 ft) |
Ain Ebel (Arabic: [عين إبل][1]) is a Lebanese village located in the Caza of Bint Jbeil in the Nabatiye Governorate in Lebanon.
Contents |
[edit] Etymology
Historians as Anis Freiha and Fr Youakim Moubarak believe that the name of Ain-Ebel derives from two words,"Ain" and "Ibl".The first means spring as many places in Lebanon are named,and the second word means irrigation (سقي).Combined in one (Ain-Ebel) the two words mean the spring of irrigation. Usually "Ibl" is opposed to Baal, the greater God associated to his female divinity Astarte, or Diane, Goddess of fertility and hunting in the old cananean religions. "Ibl", being an agriculture system by which water is draining, Baal represents the rain water of God. The Arabic language maintains this word (Baal) to mean the agriculture system by which the soil is irrigated by the rain coming from the nature or God. It is not by chance that the denomination of Ibl-El-Saqui village is derived from the cananean first word joined to its second translation Arabic word.[1]
[edit] About Ain Ebel
Arousset el Jnoub, Ain-Ebel, is known for its beautiful scenery, amiable people, and jovial atmosphere. Situated in the heart of the South, Ain-Ebel occupies several hills with elevations ranging from 750 to 850 meters above sea level.
Each summer, a grand festival is organized in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festival culminates on the Assumption of Mary on August 15. Outdoor events and open-air concerts are held in the village's square, and the festivities peak with a procession of the Virgin Mary icon.
Ain-Ebel is also known for its religious structures among which are the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, St Mary's Chapel, Our Lady of Ain Ebel Maronite Catholic Church, Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church, and the New Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church.
[edit] History
Ain Ebel is a historic village with numerous archaeologic sites that date to Biblical times. On the outskirts of the village is an area called Chalaboune شلعبون, where Ernest Renan, a French philosopher who sent by Emperor Napoleon III to Lebanon, found ancient graves (see Mission de Phénicie (1865-1874)).
In his book, Salut Jerusalem: Les memoires d'un chretien de Tyr a l'epoque des Croisades, the Lebanese historian, Bechara Menassa, wrote that the people of Ain Ebel were in touch with the Crusaders in Toron, modern Tebnine. Menassa described how a Frankish monk killed a wild animal in Ain -Ebel.
[edit] Geography
Ain Ebel occupies several hills with elevation ranging from 750 to 850 meters above sea level. The village enjoys four seasons with autumn and spring being mild but rainy, winter being cold and snowy and summer being dry and very pleasant with average temperatures between 25–27 °C (77–81 °F). The people of Ain Ebel cultivate their land and produce olives, almonds, chestnuts, pecans, grapes, figs, pomegranates, and apples. There are three natural springs in Ain Ebel, including Tarabnine, Tahta and Hourrié (Freedom Spring).
[edit] Demography
The people of Ain Ebel are Lebanese and are followers of the Catholic Church (Maronite and Greek Melkite) as well as Armenian Catholic. The village is made up of the Alam, Al-Akh, Abu Ghanam, Amouri, Atmé, Ghostine (also Lubbos and Lopez in Brazil), Barakat, Berberian, Chbat, Chehadé, Diab (Diap and Diep in Argentina), Dick (also spelled Deek), Farah, Haddad, Hasrouny, Jichy, Khoreich (also spelled khreiche,Khraish in the US and Canada and Kreis in Argentina), Lallous, Mattar, Sader (also known as Khoury), Sidaoui and other families.
[edit] Schools
There are three schools in the village: two private schools (Saints-Cœurs and Saint Joseph) and one public school. There are four historic churches, built in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, that have been recently restored.
[edit] Religious Structures
Chapels
- Chapel of the Sacred Hearts
- Saint Mary's Chapel
Churches
- Our Lady of Ain Ebel Maronite Catholic Church
- Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church
- The New Saint Elie Greek Catholic Melkite Church
Convents
- Convent of the Sacred Hearts
Shrines
- Saint Charbel Shrine
- Our Lady of Lourdes Monument
[edit] Holidays
Each summer, a grand festival is organized in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festival culminates on the Assumption of Mary on August 15. Outdoor events and open-air concerts are held in the village's square. The festivities peak with a procession of the Virgin Mary icon.
[edit] People from Ain Ebel
The most prominent figure from Ain Ebel is the late Cardinal Antoine Pierre Khreich (also known as Anthony Peter Khoraish) who was the second Lebanese Patriarch to become cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Another prominent figure is the head of the Lebanese army, General Jean Kahwaji, who spent his childhood years in Ain Ebel, the birthplace of his mother. Mounir Khoreich is another prominent figure. He was ambassador of Lebanon in Colombia. Nasrat Khoreich was reporter for the Lebanese newspapers, Annahar and L'Orient Le Jour. He died on 17 May 1991 in a bomb explosion. Monsigneur Albert Khoreich was a prominent religious and academic figure who was killed in 1988 during the war. Wafai Saleem Diab was the first Arab journalist to conduct an interview at the White House. The interview was with President Ronald Reagan. Diab also interviewed other politicians and world leaders, such as Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, and King Hussein of Jordan. Diab died on December 16, 2006.
[edit] Current events
In July 2006, Ain Ebel, like other villages that string Lebanon's southern border, such as Debel, Qaouzah, Rmaich, and Yaroun, was caught in the crossfire of Hezbollah and the Israeli army.[2] Due to the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in South Lebanon, many houses in Ain Ebel were destroyed.
[edit] Variation of Spelling
The name of the village is also spelled Ainebel Aïn Ebel,‘Ayn Ibil,‘Ain Ibil, Aïn Ibel, Ain Ibel, Ain Ebel, Ain Ibl, or`Ain Ibil. In Arabic it is عين ابل[2].
