Despite war, ‘Lebanon Faith Tours’ aims to showcase country’s beauty

By Joseph Tulloch

“When the media talk about Lebanon, they normally just show the war”, says Antonio El Helou. “They forget about the beauty.”

Helou, 22, has made it his mission to show that beauty to the world. In 2023, at the age of just 19, he founded Lebanon Faith Tours, leading individuals and groups, mostly from abroad, on guided visits of the country’s most important Christian sites.

The aim, Helou tells Vatican News, is not just to “organise trips” but also to “accompany people on a spiritual journey.” Lebanon’s sacred sites, he explains, are not just “buildings”, but hubs for “living communities”.

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Although exact population statistics are not available, Lebanon is the country in the Middle East with the highest Christian population by percentage. Its Christian communities stretch back two millennia – and are so known for their devotion that the country has earned the nickname ‘Land of the Saints’. By law, the President must always be a Maronite Catholic.

In recent years, Lebanon has been devastated by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Helou’s tours, though, are restricted to an area north of Beirut generally considered safer than the conflict-torn south.

“I always tell people to come, to not be afraid”, he says. “Our tours only go to very safe places. And there is beauty here, history, culture, which you can’t find anywhere else in the world.”

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Among Helou’s favourite sites to bring his guests is the tomb of St Charbel Makhlouf in Annaya, a mountain village overlooking the Mediterranean and surrounded by pine trees.

For Helou, Lebanon’s beauty is found not just in its churches but also in its natural environment. Despite its tiny size – its total land area is only around 4,000 square miles, or 10,000 square kilometres – the country famously features both Mediterranean beaches and snow-topped mountains.

For those who can’t make it to Lebanon in person, Helou makes videos on Instagram featuring shots of Lebanon’s sacred sites, natural beauty, religious processions and more.

“I want everyone to see the beauty of Lebanon”, he says, “not just the people taking my tours.” Still, he is insistent that the best way to experience the country is to get on a flight and pay a visit.  

“Lebanon is an experience”, Helou says. “Life today is moving so fast, and people need to take time to rest, to think, to encounter Jesus in nature, in monasteries. Everyone who comes to Lebanon tells me that it has changed their life in some way.”