About

Monastic Creations Co. is a non-profit corporation that hopes to share about the Maronite monastic way of life, especially in how it can be lived more fully in the United States.  The monastic life is foundational to the Maronite Church, and something quite missing for our Maronite communities outside of Lebanon. While there are two Maronite communities for men in the United States, none exist for women. 

The Catholic Church is comprised of twenty-three Church traditions that each embrace a particular spirituality, cultural identity and liturgical practice, while sharing the same dogmatic faith and unity with the Holy Father in Rome. The Maronite Church is one of the twenty-two Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris (self-governing) within the Antiochene-Syriac tradition.

The Maronite Church takes her origins back to the fourth century AD in the area of present day Syria.  It was here that we find the holy hermit, Saint Maron, who lived on a hilltop in prayer, living a radically ascetical life while seeking union with God.  Because of his great holiness, numerous people came to him, and many began to imitate his way of life.  A great monastery then grew in the region known as “Beit Maroun,” or “House of Maron.”  Even after St. Maron’s death around the year 410 AD, this monastery continued to grow and flourish in the region as a great center of the faith. 

In the late seventh century, the Christians in this region faced persecution and turmoil.  The Patriarchal seat of Antioch became vacant, and so the people, in need of a spiritual leader, appointed a monk from the monastery of St. Maron, named John Maron, as Patriarch.  St. John Maron then led the people into the mountains of Lebanon, now known as the Qadisah Valley, or Holy Valley.  It was here that the people began to identify themselves more formally as the Maronite Church.  Although they lived in this way physically separated from Rome with no communication for a few hundred years, they were later given formal permission from the Vatican to remain in their tradition as the Maronite Church sui iuris within the Catholic Church. 

The history of the Maronite Church is important as it shows the foundational nature of the monastic way of life in her development.  She is the only Catholic Church who identifies herself with a person other than Jesus Christ.  Because she takes her name from the holy hermit, Saint Maron, and she grew around the monastery of “Beit Maroun”, we must recognize how monasticism is not a part of her identity, as you would find in the other Catholic Churches, but is her core and foundation.  From the time of St. Maron, the “Maronite” people grew in their faith around the monastery, and the monastery was at the heart of their spirituality and way of life. 

In Lebanon today, this monastic reality is easily seen and lived.  The country of Lebanon is itself very small (the CIA factbook compares it to one-third the size of the state of Maryland), but for such a small country it is overflowing with monasteries.  One does not have to travel far in Lebanon in order to reach a monastery, and the majority of people could get to one on foot.  The mountains, valleys, and coastlines are literally dotted with monasteries, old and new.  For a Maronite living in Lebanon, seeing and experiencing their monastic spirituality is not difficult.  Where ever one is, they are sure to hear monastery bells ringing daily for the time of Divine Liturgy (Mass), times of prayer, and specific hours of the day.

For Maronite communities outside of Lebanon, however, this monastic reality is not as visible or easy to find lived.  In the west, the Maronites are currently formed around parishes, as is the norm in this part of the world.  While the parish provides the liturgical and communal support for the people, the monastic spirituality is lacking.  In large countries such as the United States, it is highly unlikely to ever see the amount of monastic life as in Lebanon, but in order to preserve the Maronite identity, there is a great need for more Maronite monastic life being fully lived.  Through the intercession of Saint Maron, may more Maronite monastic gardens be planted and flourish in the region of the United States.

If you are interested in discussing in more detail the Maronite monastic way of life, contact us at: info@monasticcreations.org