The Story of Our Lady Of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church Wheeling, West Virginia

Even before a priest from Lebanon was assigned, Father Joseph Shbayaa Ladani from North Lebanon came to Wheeling and served the people, he was described as saintly and a church builder. He established Maronite churches elsewhere.

The following records show the probably Maronite, Melkite or Eastern Orthodox identity of five early Lebanese immigrants. The Wheeling City Directory, 1896, lists: Saad John, dry goods store at 2145 Main Street; and the 1903-1904 edition lists: Abraham Joseph, laborer at 52 Alley 15; and Abraham S., peddler, boards at 24th and Market. The Mount Calvary Cemetery Records, September 1872 to 1900, lists the names and burial dates of the following: Charles Abraham, March 13, 1898, 30 years of age, place of birth Syria; and John Basha, December 5, 1897.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Lebanon immigrants worshiped and performed baptisms, marriages and funerals in private homes, commercial buildings and at Saint Alphonsus and Sacred Heart churches and the old cathedral.

From 1908 to 1912, the third floor of the Bryan building at 2269 Market Street served as the church for the faithful. Entry to the third floor “Church” was through two flights of stairs in the rear alley. From 1912 to 1920, the community held religious services in a warehouse at 2329 Market Street. It also served as the school.

The first priest assigned to the Maronite community in Wheeling was Father Paul Abraham who arrived in 1906 and served until his death on January 28, 1960. In 1947, his nephew Father Paul E. Coury arrived form Lebanon to assist him. The following priests were subsequently assigned to the Church: Fathers Michael Hitti, Nemtalah Hayek, Hares Zogheib, Wladimir Akeekee, Joe Shaheen, Louis Baz, William Bartoul, Antoine Saad, Paul Boackle, Ghattas Khoury, Georges Chaanine, and Bakhos Chidiac (current pastor).

Our Lady of Lebanon Church was dedicated in October 1922. Named in honor of the Blessed Mother, the patron saint of Lebanon, it is situated at 2216 Eoff Street and faces the Ohio River.

On December 20, 1932, fire destroyed the Church. The picture of the Blessed Mother, then above the left side altar and now above the main altar, was miraculously spared. Since then, this picture has been considered a sign of God’s favor to His people in Wheeling. The church was rebuilt and rededicated on May 20, 1934.

Besides the Maronite immigrants from Lebanon and Syria who settled in the area, the Center Wheeling church has been home to fellow Melkites, Latin Catholics and at various times to Eastern Orthodox. The earliest religious organizations within the community were Saint Tobias Society and the Saint Sharbel Men’s Club. Both men and women led the efforts to establish a parish and to build the Church on Eoff Street. These groups and the Saint Joseph’s Sodality, which was founded later, provided financial support and offered their personal labor to rebuild the Church following the 1932 fire.

Mahrajans or Festivals inaugurated in 1933, were a regular source of revenue for mortgage payments, school expenditures and other expenses. From the ashes of our beloved church arose the wonderful, unifying tradition of the Feast of the Assumption high Mass in the open air with a three-day picnic in August and one-day picnic in June at Oglebay Park.

In 1929, Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus staffed the second school which was closed in 1946.

Early benefactors and supporters of the Church, since the early twentieth century, were Bishops Patrick J. Donahue and his successor Bishop John J. Swint.

The Maronites are still using the Aramaic language in the most sacred part of the Mass first because Aramaic was spoken by Jesus Christ Himself; and second because they consider this language as a sign of their unity when attending any Maronite Mass around the world. But currently, in the United States, the Mass is celebrated primarily in English.

The Aramaic was the same language Jesus used just before He died, “Eli, Eli, lama sabaktani?” (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) (Mt 27:46) and when He said “Talitha cumi!” which means: (Little girl, I say to you arise!) (Mark 5:41); and “Ephphatha!” which means: (Be opened!) (Mark 7:34).