Welcome to the web site of Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Wheeling, West Virginia. The church is named in honor of the Blessed Mother, the patron saint of Lebanon, and is West Virginia’s only Maronite Catholic church.   As you learn about the history of our church and its people, and the painting of Our Lady that miraculously survived a destructive fire in 1932, we hope you are inspired to visit our beautiful parish in person.

Our parishioners continue traditional rites and celebrations once practiced here by their Lebanese ancestors nearly a century ago. The Aramaic language, the language of Christ, remains alive in our adoration today during the most sacred part of the mass.

Our cultural heritage is celebrated at several events throughout the year and made possible through the hard work of dedicated volunteers.  Regardless of their ancestry, thousands of people look forward to our annual heritage festival (Mahrajan) in Wheeling’s beautiful Oglebay Park.  Aromatic spices of authentic Lebanese cuisine and live Middle Eastern music and dance are just a few of the reasons our supporters return to the rolling hills of West Virginia every August. 

The Mahrajan was first held in 1933 to raise money to rebuild the church after it was destroyed by the 1932 fire.  Without these events and the support of our generous community and parishioners, our church and culture would not have survived.

Plans to improve and preserve our historical structure are underway.  Once again, we will rely on the support of our parishioners and friends throughout our extended communities to “rebuild” the church where so many have shared their religious devotion over the years.   If you would like to assist in our expansion and renovation project, please contact us today.

Enjoy your virtual visit to Our Lady of Lebanon in historic Wheeling, WV.  Bookmark our site and return often for updates.  Please share our news with your friends and let us know how we might better serve you on the web.


Yours in Christ,

Fr. Bakhos Chidiac