Ehden

Four hundred years later, Alexander the Macedonian's army rebuilt Ehden, and a group of Macedonians settled there (Macedonia is a state of Greece). Its people spoke Greek for many years. The Macedonians built a huge idolatrous temple on the eastern side where a statue of " The god of Sun" was hoisted. In 60 BC, Pompais, following the fall of the Great Alexander, blockaded Ehden. He conquered and destroyed it. It was not until the beginning of Christianity that the Assyrians rebuilt it.

At the end of the sixth century AD Ehdenians converted to Christianity. Maronite priests of St. Maroun and St. Semaan el?Amoudi helped convert them into Maronites. They built five churches all at once on top of the ruined idolatrous temple, using its stones for building Mar Mama, Mar Boutros, Mar Youhana, Mar Ghaleb and Mar Istfan. In addition, they raised huge stony Crosses on top of their mountain.

A brief account of Ehden's history was written in an old document by one of its natives who fled from the Mamluk invasion in 1283, smuggling it by tying it to his chest.

Father Gerges Yammine found that document which was written on an old piece of leather, at the start of the nineteenth century in a priest's home in Bsharri. He copied it and following his death, his son Sheikh Roumanos Yammine kept it. It was then passed onto Monsignor Hanna Dib Saydet. In 1930, Historian Semaan el Khazan discovered a copy of that document with another Historian, Father Youhana Maroun Farah el?Seb'ali, who copied it off Monsignor Saade in 1904. Here is its content:

" Ehden is a very old village located in the north of Mount Lebanon. It used to be known as 'Patchilassar' a Persian pronunciation meaning 'the paradise of the area'. It is enriched with fresh water, trees and a breathtaking water stream called Mar Sarkis bursts off its eastern mountain. A tribe related to Sam, son of Noah settled in Ehden, which later became a famous site".

Ehden is a beautiful city renowned for its healthy environment, moderate dry climate and natural fresh water. It is one of the main summer locations of Lebanon. It is celebrated as the "Bride of summer resorts", the Bride of North Lebanon, and the paradise of Eden. Ehden has earned these descriptions because of its beauty, mountainous elevation and amazing scenery.

Source: Ministry of Tourism

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