Beithabbak

Beit Habbak
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Mount Lebanon Governorate
District	Jbeil District

Beithabbak in Phoenician

Beithabbak (Aramaic-Syriac name), is a small village in the district of Jbeil in Lebanon. It is located on a small hill, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) northwest from Byblos at an altitude of 540 metres (1,770 ft), just above Amchit and Gherfine and before Abaidat.

History

The family's presence in Beithabbak dates from early times when their ancestors and their fathers established themselves. Six main families in the village of Abidaoud, Ferjan, Akl, Osabios and Jbeili. The Sakr family recently immigrated from Ghalboun village. The Hobeika, Habbaki family and Azar families left Beithabbak sometimes in the early 17th century.

Other names include Beit Habbak, Habbaki, Habbak, Hebbaki, Hebbak, Hibbak, Hibbaki, Hbaika, Hbeiki, Hbeikati, Habbeikat, Hbbak, Hobeika.

Demography

There are 310 inhabitants in the village. The inhabitants are Maronite Christians. Some part of the population has emigrated to Latin America Brazil, France, Canada, Switzerland, Lithuania and United States. Many are currently resident in Canada and Brazil.

Schools

There is one school in the village, the Missionary Sisters of the Very Holy Sacrament school.

Churches

There are Six chapels in the village:

• Saint Antonio, a small grotto chapel located inside cliff monastery in the eastern part of the village.
• Saint Mary, a small main church which can host 80 persons, located in the central square of the village.
• Saint Sarkis a small chapel near village Christian events hall and cemetery.
• Missionary Sisters of the Very Holy Sacrament Chapel located inside the school.
• Saint Simon, a small grotto chapel located between Beithabbak and Abaidat inside cliff monastery
• Akl family small private chapel built earlier by their member Bishop Akl.

The chapels of Saint Antonio and Saint Simon dates from the beginning of the 19th century. One can notice its small entrance doors which are typical of churches in the area. These were designed to prevent Ottoman cavaliers from bursting inside with their horses.

The priest responsible for the Beithabbak Churches is newly assigned Father by Bishop of Byblos, based in Amchit.