Saydet el Mantara: Our Lady of Awaiting

Saydet el Mantara, meaning Our Lady of Awaiting, is a revered Greek-Catholic Marian shrine located in Maghdoucheh, South Lebanon. This important pilgrimage site is built around a cave where it is believed the Virgin Mary waited for Jesus while he preached in Sidon. The shrine attracts visitors from all religious communities and stands as one of the major touristic sites in the region. The site features a majestic tower crowned with a statue of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus, created by Italian artist Pierrotti. The cave has been restored into a rock chapel, with a statue of the Virgin Mary at the entrance. Visitors can also explore a trail illustrating biblical events with carved stones, set amidst rosemary and olive trees. The location offers stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Saida. According to tradition, the location of the shrine was once a watchtower for priests of the goddess Astarte. Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine I, built a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary on this site in 324 AD. The cave's entrance was hidden during religious persecutions in the 8th century and rediscovered in 1726 by a shepherd. In the early 1960s, a hexagonal chapel and the tower with the Madonna and Child statue were constructed.