Azra ou el-Azr ( ar, العذرا والعذر; also spelled or simply ''Azra'') is a municipality located in the
Keserwan District of the
Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate in
Lebanon.
The municipality, which consists of the villages of Azra and el-Azr, is about north of
Beirut.
It has an average elevation of 750 meters above sea level, a total land area of 113
hectares
and is bordered by the villages of Zaaitreh, Zeitoun, Mradiyeh,
Jouret Bedran and
Ghbaleh.
Feasts and festivals
Each summer, the monastery of the village organizes a four-day festival preceding the
feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29. In addition,
Saint Charbel
Charbel Makhlouf, O.L.M. ( ar, شربل مخلوف, May 8, 1828 – December 24, 1898), born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf and venerated as Saint Charbel, was a Maronite monk and priest from Lebanon. During his life, he obtained a wide reputation for ...
is celebrated on the third Sunday of July,
Saint Elias on July 20,
Saint Stephen
Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...
on August 2 and
Saint Dometius on August 7.
Notable people
* Elie Chaker Kamel, first lawyer in the region
* Maurice Elias Imad, first surgeon in the region
* Youssef Imad, prominent historian
* Maurice Kamel, writer, journalist and art critic, author of ''The Legend of the Mountain''
Etymology
The etymology of the name can be interpreted in several ways. On the one hand, some assume that the village bears the name of the Virgin, "عذراء" in Arabic, while others claim that it is named after the tree of "Ezr", once abundant in the village and its region. On the other hand, it may be of Aramaic origin, "Ezr" meaning the support, the column, or even a herd of sheep or goats.
Places of worship
The village has five places of worship at its disposal:
* Monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul (inaugurated in 1854)
* St. Elijah Church
* St. Stephen Church
* St. Dometius Church
* Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes
Activities
The infrastructure of the village is very modern and the communications are very animated. Many believers and pilgrims head to the village monastery to pray and relax spiritually.
The monastery carries out a large number of activities. School and teaching, exhibitions and concerts, conferences, prayers, social activities ... The superior of the monastery animates through his activities the whole region.
The village has a sports stadium, a football team and a basketball team, both participating in local and regional tournaments.
Demography
The village population is around 550 electors. The majority of this population is settled in
Jounieh
Jounieh ( ar, جونيه, or ''Juniya'', ) is a coastal city in Keserwan District, about north of Beirut, Lebanon. Since 2017, it has been the capital of Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate. Jounieh is known for its seaside resorts and bustling night ...
and its suburbs and treat the village as a summer destination to get away from the heat and bustle of the city.
The inhabitants of Aazra are mainly followers of the
Maronite Church
The Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic '' sui iuris'' particular church in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. The current head of the Mar ...
.
Families
The major surname in Aazra is Kamel. The majority of those who bear this name are generally from the village. There are also inhabitants from the Imad, Ghanem, Korkmaz, Hosri and Zouein families.
The Ghanem family and the Hosri family occupy the lower district of el-Azr, while the rest live in the upper part of the village.
References
Populated places in Keserwan District
Maronite Christian communities in Lebanon
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