John Maron's Sainthood
The sainthood of this first Maronite patriarch is credited to the sacredness of his lifelong achievements, which are listed as follows: the piety, charisma, religious zeal he has for his Catholic faith. The biblical commentaries, the liturgical renewal, the authorship of numerous religious books and periodicals he compiled. The special Anaphora for the plagued and the oppressed which he composed, and the hardship he endured against Moslem persecutions. The arguments he so carefully wrote to defend the Church's views from the Monophysite and the Monothelite heresies. The strife he endured to spread the dogma of the Council of Chalcedon and the ecumenical dialogue in which he was involved to uphold the teaching of the Church. The teaching to convert infidels to the faith of Peter and the proselytizing he engaged in to convert pagans to the Catholic fold. The charitable campaigns he conducted in his Eparchy to shelter the homeless, to sustain the poor, to feed the hungry, and to eradicate poverty. The protection he afforded his people and the knowledge he imparted to his flock to keep it from faltering. But most importantly, there were the healing and the miracles, which our lord worked through his intercessions, his powerful prayers and the touch of his hand to cure the sick and to heal those who were stricken with the plague. All of these heroic achievements, pious deeds and acts of mercy toward the people of God and his Church led to the sainthood and the canonization of this extraordinary patriarch.

He died in Kefar-Hay in 707A.D. He was buried in the monastery of "Reesh Moran." His feast day was commemorated on February 9, but later it was moved to March 2. May his prayers intercede for us and may his memory be always with us. Amen.

(1) Definition of the Monastery of St. Maron
The Monastery of St. Maron, called in Aramaic Beit Maroun, which means the house of Maron, was the cradle and the fortress of the teaching of the Catholic Church in the area. Beit Maroun was founded in 452 A.D. by an order of Emperor Marcianus in order to sustain the Catholic dogma adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451A.D. It was located in the neighborhood of Apamea in Northern Syria, just northwest of Hama, a place called today Qala'at-Al-Modeeq. Because of its prominence, Beit Maroun earned the leading role of teaching and implementing the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Over fifty Monasteries in Syria and Antioch depended on Beit Maroun for leadership and guidance. This Monastery was the beacon of light and the invincible stronghold of the Catholic Church in the East. Between the fifth and the tenth centuries Beith Maroun defended, implemented and spread the dogma of the Council of Chalcedonian in the territory of the Jacobites and during the height of the Monophysite (one nature) and Monothelite (one will) heresies of the time. The renowned historian, Arthur Voobus wrote that Beit Maroun was "The most solid fortress of the Catholic Doctrine just as it was defined at the Council of Chalcedon." The monks of Beit