CNS photo/Debbie Hill
Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas greets Mohammad Abu Saifan, 3, at his family’s house in the West Bank city of Hebron during a Holy Land visit with other church prelates on an annual mission to promote peace and justice for all people in the region.

MDuring his trip to the Holy Land to promote peace, Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas had an opportunity to visit his ancestral home in Lebanon.
“I had a chance to visit Zahleh, where I believe some of my grandparents were born,” he said. “It was Friday afternoon so the traffic was horrendous. Anis, our driver, moved astutely through the jammed streets, honking and turning from one lane to another to get us through the logjam. It is amazing how he ekes by with a hair’s space separating him from the next car. There are no lane markings, cars move where an opening appears like running on a football field.
“Zahleh is located in the Bekaa Valley, a very fertile, beautiful place,” he said. “One has to drive over the mountains, through a number of small towns. Along the way we saw some of the damage from the 2006 war with Israel. One of the bridges that had been destroyed was now being rebuilt by the United States.
“We arrived at the Maronite Center and Cathedral and were greeted by Archbishop Mansour Hobeika and Father Vincent, who is the finance director for the diocese. The archbishop studied canon law in Rome and speaks a number of languages, including English. He is from a large family, some of whom now live in the United States.
“The Archdiocese of Zahleh is only about 30 years old. It has about 30 parishes and no schools. They are just completing their cathedral, which should open in a few months.
“I saw again the River Verdauni. This time there was some small amount of water running. The restaurants along the river, which I remembered from my first visit to Lebanon, were all closed because it was winter. Archbishop Hobeika took us to a restaurant way up in the mountain that looked over the city and river. It was a magnificent view.
“It was a typical Lebanese meal that began with a tableful of appetizers which could have filled us. That was followed by fish or meat. We were then escorted to another table where desserts and fruit in great abundance were displayed. We could hardly move having eaten so much.
“We went to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Zahleh, which was a joint project of all the Catholic rites represented in the city. A beautiful image of Mary and her child adorns a large structure which includes a chapel and outdoor worship space. I was amazed to see so many people gathered at the Shrine, even some from Scottsdale, Ariz. — amazing!
“I am sure many have found great delight in visiting the place where their family has come from. That was my experience being back in Zahleh. Even though I am not aware of any relatives still there, it gives you a sense of from whence you have come.”