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Stella Maris Basilica and Monastery
June 6, 2007 |
The Stella Maris Basilica and Monastery is located on at the top of Mount Carmel, overlooking the Mediterranean outside Haifa in Israel. It is owned by the Carmelites, a religious order of the Catholic Church who derive their name from the mount where the Order was founded.
Seeking to emulate the prophet Elijah, and live as hermits on the mountain, several crusaders settled on the Western slopes of Mount Carmel, at the end of the twelfth century. A little later, (somewhere between 1206 and 1214) their leader and Prior, St Brocard, asked the patriarch of Jerusalem, St. Albert, to provide the group with a written rule of life. This was the originating act of the order, which was named the Carmelites, and it incorporated them into the diocese of Jerusalem.
The group built themselves a chapel in Wadi es-Siah (Mahane David), seven kilometres south of Haifa, a site later excavated by the Carmelite Father Bugatti.
At the end of St. Louis’ first crusade to the Holy Land In 1254, he took six Carmelites back to France with him and the Order had begun to found houses throughout Europe from 1238 onwards. However, when St John of Acre fell in 1291, they were forced to withdraw from the Holy Land altogether for several centuries.
It wasn’t until 1631 that the Order returned to Israel, led by the Venerable Father Prosper. He had a small monastery constructed on the promontory at Mount Carmel, close to the lighthouse, and the Order lived there, now called the Discalced Carmelites, until 1761, when Daher el-Omar ordered them to vacate the site and demolish the monastery.
The Order then moved to the present location, which is directly above the grotto where the prophet Elijah is said to have lived. Here they built a large church and monastery, first clearing the site of the ruins of a medieval Greek church, known as “the Abbey of St. Margaret” and a chapel, thought to date back to the time of the Byzantine Empire.
This new church was seriously damaged in Napoleon’s 1799 campaign. Sick and wounded French soldiers were accommodated in the monastery, and when Napoleon withdrew, the Turks massacred these men, and drove out the monks.
In 1821, Abdallah Pasha of Acre ordered the ruined church to be totally destroyed, so that it could not serve as a fort for his enemies, while he attacked Jerusalem.
When the Order was able to return, they constructed a tomb in the gardens where the massacred were buried, and built a pyramid shaped monument, topped with an iron cross, made by the sailors of the ship The Chateau-Renaud
The current church and monastery, built under the orders of Brother Cassini of the Order, was opened in 1836. Three years later Pope Gregory XVI bestowed the title of Minor Basilica on the sanctuary, and it is now known “Stella Maris”, meaning Star of the Sea. For much of the 20th Century it was occupied by the Military, first the British, and later the Israeli, but at the end of their lease it was handed back to the Order, who are working on its refurbishment. There is a pilgrimage centre located there, and there are plans to build a museum and performance amphitheatre.
The best known monastery of the Carmelite Friars in Israel is that of Stella Maris on Mount Carmel. Its name, which means Star of the Sea, has its origin from the lighthouse built by the friars in 1864, just across the road from the Carmelite Basilica.
The Stella Maris church is a beautiful structure, with Italian marble so brightly and vividly patterned that visitors sometimes think the walls have been painted. Colorful paintings on the dome, done by Brother Luigi Poggi (1924-28), depict episodes from the Old Testament, the most dramatic being the scene of Elijah swept up in a chariot of fire. The statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from cedar of Lebanon, is also notable.
The cave situated below the altar, which you can walk down into, is “Elijah’s Cave,” where the Old Testament prophet is believed to have lived. Many little votive candles burn on the altar above the cave, each representing a Carmelite community in another country (the United States has its candle up on the left). Many pilgrims come here, Jews, Muslims and Christians, who come “to pay a visit” to Elijah the prophet in his “grotto” situated under the sanctuary of the church.
In the rooms to the right of the entryway, there is a charming nativity scene, a museum with artifacts from the Byzantine church that once stood on this site, and a small souvenir shop.
A community of Carmelite friars live in Stella Maris and receive the pilgrims. These Carmelites, like their predecessors, are of many nationalities, and moreover speak many languages. This is a most useful thing for giving explanation or advice to those who ask. A pilgrim centre, recently renovated, provides accommodation for those who desire to remain some days there. It is run by the Carmelite Sisters of St Teresa of Florence. Small walks have been provided in the space and pilgrims can make the Stations of the Cross in the garden as well as pray in the Basilica, before the celebrated statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
If you go their you will find that one of the monks will gladly give you a free pamphlet with information about the history of the site and the Carmelite order dating back to the arrival of the crusaders on this mountain in the late 12th century. They will answer any questions you may have, and guide you to the various interesting details of the church.
| Address: | Stella Maris Rd., Haifa, Israel |
| Location: | Slopes of Mount Carmel |
| Phone: | 04/833-7758 |
| Bus: | 25, 26, or 31 |
| Hours: | English masses Mon-Sat 6:30am; Sun 7 and 9am. Modest dress required. Church open daily 6:30am-1:30pm and 3-6pm |
| Cost: | Free |
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Could you please give me more information on the Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa of Florence? Do they have any houses in the U.S.? What is their apostolate? Hermitages and Retreat work?
Thank you.
Please, pray for my dear friend and I. May God grant us the grace to continue working together in the school which is still under our leadership. May God protect us from all evil and from every attempt from the part of others to separate us. May He continue to bless and guard our friendship and our mission, and make us ever fruitful in our relationship with each other and with all those who surround us. Please, continue to keep us and our school family in your prayers at a daily basis. Although some positive steps have already been taken, there is still a stubborn on going process of discernment about the validity and modality of our mission in the school. May the Good Lord enlighten all parties involved–especially those who are in authority over us–and manifest clearly his approving will regarding the school in itself, as well as our role of leadership. We earnestly count on your daily prayers and spiritual support. May God bless us through your heartfelt prayers and inner solidarity. May God bless you too in all your needs and endeavors.
my husband and I are coming to Israel from Ireland next month and would very much like to spend a few days on Mount Carmel. Do you have accommodation available? We do not particularly want to stay in the city. We will arrive at Mount carmel on the 13th March. If you do not have pilgrim accommodation perhaps you could advise us where to try.
Many Blessings, Hannah.
Christ has risen!/Hristos a inviat!
PRAYER REQUEST:
PLEASE FERVENTLY PRAY — may God help you, too:
For the blessed happy marriage/wedding of Benone Vasile to Cristina Emanuela;
For Cristina Emanuela to find the right job for her, allowing her to use her PhD and MAs;
Please, God, give Cristina Emanuela peace, stability and happy certainty as well as a clear path to follow and good direction;
Deliver and Heal Cristina Emanuela and Benone Vasile from all evil, magic, bad and circumstances, curses, uncertainties, instability, wickedness, witchcraft, spells
Do you have an email for the friars at the monastery Stella Maris that you could give me.
———————————–
ANSWER:
I am not aware of an e-mail adress. But you may phone the friars at 04/833-7758.
PAX!
Please Pray Daily:
1. ANTONIO, ANA, ALICE, MIKE, SHERWIN, AIREEN, REY, AGNES, NEMY & ANJO – please pray for change of hearts & enlightenment, and pray to draw their hearts closer to God.
2. ANA, AGNES, AIREEN, ALICE & NEMY – please pray for the right discernment to know Gods plan in their life so that they will able to obey His will in their life; and pray for wisdom & knowledge, guidance, hedge of protection, good health, peace of mind & good relationship.
3. ANTHONY JOHN CUARTERON – please pray for guidance, hedge protection, good health, and pray to concentrate to his studies so that he will able to finish his studies and to have a good direction in his life.
4. EDDIE & ANNETTE CRUZ – please pray to deepen our prayer life, and learn to love the will of God; pray for guidance, hedge protection, good health, wisdom & knowledge and financial blessings.
5. CHESKA, REI JOSEPH, PAUL MARQUEZ, PAULINE QUILATAN – please pray for guidance, hedge protection, good health and pray to be kind & obedient to their parent & to their Family & have a good directions in life & to become God fearing.
6. ANTONIO & AIDA BASILIO & FAMILY – please continue to pray to draw our hearts closer to God and learn to depend & focus on God what ever situation we will face; pray for good relationship in our family, guidance, hedge of protection, good health, wisdom & knowledge, and peace of mind.
7. ROSITA CRUZ – please pray for change of hearts, to draw her hearts closer to God; and pray for guidance & protection, good health.
SPECIAL PRAYER REQUEST!!
Death of Our Only Son & Other Ongoing Sorrows….
July 25,2008.
Dear Community of Prayer,
Please if possible can you include my wife and I in your daily prayers for God’s Mercy & Peace in our broken hearts,health and shattered lives?
Please keep us in daily prayer for the long term..July,Aug,Sept..2008,2009…or as long as possible?/
Please if Possible??
Can you pass or E-mail our Urgent Prayer Request On: Other Communities of Prayer that you know of ..www….Convents? Monasteries? Parishes? Abbeys? Others who can pray with us daily for God’s Mercy & Peace in the days ahead…July,August,Sept..2008,09,10…??
Thank you for praying with us daily in our long dark night of the soul! Bill and Carol,husband & wife in hope! Ohio.usa.
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
Request your prayers for success on a new job working from home with healthcare provider. That I may be able to bring many members and workers. Thank you
ilemarie