Catholic university works to preserve Lebanon’s Christian past

Lebanon’s successive crises have taken a visible toll on its economy and institutions, but they also endanger something less tangible: the memory, faith, and traditions through which a people understands its identity.

As emigration threatens both the continued presence of Christian communities in their homeland and the transmission of their heritage, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) has made its preservation a mission for the future. Its work goes beyond protecting historical objects and documents: It safeguards the living witness of a people rooted in this land for nearly two millennia and ensures that this inheritance continues to shape Lebanon, inspire younger generations, and enrich the universal Church.

A mission rooted in Maronite history Father Joseph Moukarzel, president of USEK, told EWTN News that preserving Christian heritage is not simply one of the university’s missions but lies at the heart of its identity.

USEK is the first university in Lebanon to be established by Lebanese citizens. Founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order in 1950, it continues the centuries-old role of Maronite monasteries as guardians of faith, knowledge, and culture. For…