Kaftoun

Kaftoun
كَفْتُون
City
Map showing the location of Kaftoun within Lebanon
Map showing the location of Kaftoun within Lebanon
Kaftoun
Location within Lebanon
Coordinates: 34°16′N 35°46′E / 34.267°N 35.767°E / 34.267; 35.767
Country Lebanon
GovernorateNorth Governorate
DistrictKoura District
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Dialing code+961
Websitehttp://www.kaftoun.com/

Kaftoun (Arabic: كَفْتُون) is a small Lebanese village located along the north bank of the Walnut River, in the Koura District, North Lebanon. The population of the village is approximately three-hundred, spread around seventy-four houses. They are mostly of Greek Orthodox ancestry.[1] The name "Kaftoun" in the ancient Aramaic language means "dug from" or "sculpted from" a cliff and also (Kftuna) could means "the domed".


Both roots of the word lead us to believe that the village of Kaftoun was named after the domed Theotokos Monastery[2] which is carved in the red rock cliffs by the banks of the Jaouz River.

Churches

Kaftoun has three historic churches:[3] Saint Phocas Church (Mar Foka's[4]), the Church of Saint Sergius and Bacchus (Mar Sarkis[5]) 6th century, and the most famed Theotokos Monastery,[6] which houses a two-sided Byzantine icon[7] from the 11th century.

References

  1. ^ "Municipal and ikhtiyariah elections in Northern Lebanon" (PDF). The Monthly. March 2010. p. 23. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. ^ Photo Gallery Archived 2012-08-15 at the Wayback Machine. Kaftoun. Retrieved on October 12, 2011.
  3. ^ Kaftoun Churchs Archived 2012-04-19 at the Wayback Machine. Kaftoun.com (6 November 2004). Retrieved on October 12, 2011.
  4. ^ Photo Gallery Archived 2012-09-15 at the Wayback Machine. Kaftoun. Retrieved on October 12, 2011.
  5. ^ Photo Gallery Archived 2012-09-15 at the Wayback Machine. Kaftoun. Retrieved on October 12, 2011.
  6. ^ The Kaftoun Theotokos Monastery - a jewel of spirituality! Archived 2012-06-07 at the Wayback Machine. Kaftoun.com (30 March 2005). Retrieved on October 12, 2011.
  7. ^ Kaftoun's Theotokos Archived 2006-04-24 at the Wayback Machine. Ortmtlb.org.lb. Retrieved on October 12, 2011.