Lebanon unveils tallest statue of Saint Rita in Middle East, inspiring faith and hope

QABB ELIAS, Lebanon — In a striking testament to Lebanon’s enduring role as a beacon of Christianity, home to countless monasteries and sacred sites despite its modest size, the town of Qabb Elias in the Zahle District unveiled the tallest statue of Saint Rita in the Middle East. 

The inauguration ceremony, held in the courtyard of the Basilica of Saint Rita, was attended by Greek (Rûm) Catholic Archbishop of Zahle and Beqaa Ibrahim Mikhael Ibrahim, MPs George Okais and Elias Stephan, the town’s mayor and deputy mayor, numerous religious and political leaders, and a large gathering of faithful from across the Bekaa region. 

Towering 10.5 meters high, the statue is now the tallest of its kind in the Middle East and the second tallest in the world after Brazil. It was built as a landmark of faith, hope, and coexistence, reflecting Saint Rita’s profound place in the hearts of believers as the patron saint of miracles and the impossible. 

The ceremony opened with the Lebanese national anthem, followed by speeches explaining the purpose and journey behind the statue’s construction. Father Elie Abou Chaya, the parish priest, recounted the acquisition of the land, the challenges faced during the building process — particularly amid Lebanon’s hardships — and expressed heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed and donated to the project. 

Archbishop Ibrahim congratulated the people of Qabb Elias, saying: 

“Today, we gather not to raise a stone into the air, but to lift our hearts to heaven. Not to honor a material statue, but to celebrate a holiness that transcended time and place, that overcame impossibilities through faith, pain through hope, and the cross through love.” 

Archbishop Ibrahim emphasized that the statue is not an object of worship or sanctified stone but a visible sign representing an unseen presence felt in hearts, homes, and places of prayer. He explained that it symbolizes Saint Rita, the patron saint of impossible causes, whose life demonstrated that nothing is beyond God’s power, that faith can open even the most firmly closed doors, and that the rose which blossomed in the winter of her life stands as a timeless reminder that miracles can happen at any moment. 

“In a time overwhelmed by despair, suffering, and growing distance from prayer and trust,” he continued. “Saint Rita returns to us not as an object of worship, but as a wake-up call to faith, a flame of hope, and a reminder to return to God.”

Following the speeches, Archbishop Ibrahim led a blessing ceremony, sprinkling holy water on the statue, the site, and the gathered crowd. The ribbon was then cut to officially inaugurate the landmark. 

The event featured spiritual hymns performed by artist Joe Maalouf and the parish choir, creating a deeply moving atmosphere of prayer and reflection as attendees prayed for peace in Lebanon and the wider Middle East. 

Organizers stated that the project aims to boost religious tourism in the Beqaa region and establish Qabb Elias as a spiritual destination for pilgrims from Lebanon and abroad. Saint Rita, with her enduring message of faith, forgiveness, and trust in divine providence, continues to inspire believers worldwide.