Mount Hermon (Jabal El Sheikh) in Lebanon, A Sacred Biblical Mountain: Pilgrimages, traditions and rituals

Mount Hermon, also known as Jabal El Haramoun or Jabal El Sheikh, is the highest peak in the Anti-Lebanon eastern mountain chain, located between Lebanon, Syria, and the Israeli- Palestinian territories. Since antiquity, this mountain has been considered holy, a fact to which many archaeological remains bear testament. At present, one can count hundreds of religious sites from different religious communities including Christians – Maronite, Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical – as well as Sunnis and Druze. In the Bible we can find more than 70 references to Mount Hermon. It is said locally that Jesus Christ was transfigured at its top. The security issues related to this sensitive area notwithstanding, pilgrimages and rituals take place around Mount Hermon on the western Lebanese slopes, bearing witness to the importance of this sacred mountain in the beliefs of the faithful. This paper explores the inter-sectarian conviviality and natural dialogue that takes place through shared activities, pilgrimages, and rituals around Mount Hermon, contributing to the construction of local and national identities, and preserving the sacredness of the site.