Orthodox Youth--Rais al Male'ika Mikhail Monastery

The Monastery of St. Michael - Bekaata


Spread out on the mountainside, the Monastery of Mar Mikha'il or St. Michael Bek'ata can only be seen from the bottom of the valley. It used to be most picturesque, with only the tops of its red roofs visible among the dense greenery. But the Monastery has now expanded, and modern buildings have somewhat deprived the site of its former splendor.

The Monastery may be reached through either Metn or Kesrwan. The easier Metn route leads from the coast up to Bikfaya, Khenchara, and Bteghrine, where one turns left into the Nahr el-Hardoun valley and ascends to Baskinta. This large village, well known as the home of the great writer Mikha'il Naimy, is located 1350 , meters above sea-level at the foot of Mount Sannine at thirty-six kilometers from Beirut. Turning left, one continues along a winding road to the village of Bek'ata.
Monastic life was revived in 1984, when the monks Father Ephrem and Father Boulos went to live in Bek'ata after their return from Mount Athos. The contemporary history of St. Michael Bek'ata cannot be told without mentioning its new founder. Father Ephrem excelled in electronic engineering studies at the Université Saint Joseph Beirut and achieved an equally successful career in this field. Subsequently, however, he decided to retire from public life and dedicate himself to the faith. He entered the theological institute at Balamand and then left for Thessalonik, where he completed his studies in theology. Returning to Lebanon, he was appointed director of the institute of Balamand and was ordained a priest by his Eminence Metropolitan George Khodr. Back again in Greece, he left to Mount Athos where he was ordained a monk.