Kfarsghab has given to the
Maronite Church an important number of its sons and daughters as priests, monks and nuns
(1).
In 1900, there was 8 priests from Kfarsghab and 13 monks. For a total number of adult males of 330, those 21 men of God represented 6.4% of the
male population. No nun was reported to be from Kfarsghab. When we take a look at the neighboring villages, the
difference is evident
(2):
On
average, 2% of the male adults of Jebbet Bcharri region were at the
service of the Church in the year 1900. Kfarsghab, with 6.4%, is second
to Bqaa Kafra (the village of Saint Charbel).
In 1900, there were one priest in Kfarsghab for every 119 churchgoers
where in the whole region of Jebbet Bcharri it was one priest for every
182 churchgoers. In Kfarsghab, 75% of the priests were married. We find
the same for the priests of Jebbet Bcharri. Priesthood was handed down
from father to son. That tradition created a chain of priests with the
same names : Boulos, Choukrallah, Hanna, Youssef, Gibrayil, ...
It is possible that, before 1880, men at the service of the Church
represented around 12% of the male adults in Kfarsghab. This could be
easily calculated from the lists of the monks and the priests of
Kfarsghab.
|
|
Male Adults |
Priests |
Monks |
Men of God |
% of Male Adults |
| Bcharri |
1500 |
29 |
6 |
35 |
2% |
| Ehden |
1500 |
25 |
8 |
33 |
2% |
| Kfarsghab |
330 |
8 |
13 |
21 |
6% |
| Hadchit |
400 |
8 |
0 |
8 |
2% |
| Hasroun |
900 |
4 |
2 |
6 |
1% |
| BqaaKafra |
300 |
13 |
18 |
31 |
10% |
| Total Jebbet Bcharri |
8005 |
131 |
63 |
194 |
2% |
|
Today from the village of Kfarsghab, there are 11 priests at the
service of the Church. No monks are counted among the sons of Kfarsghab.
15 nuns are in different orders in Lebanon and abroad.
Below, you will find the names of the priests of Kfarsghab from beginning of
the 19 Century till the end of 20th Century.
(1) - For more Information on the Monks
from Kfarsghab, see on this Website- Monks from Kfarsghab
(2) - in Dr Jean Nakkhoul - Historical Demography of Nahiyat Bcharri from
end 19 Century till beginning of 20th Century - Published in the Accounts of the First Congress on Jebbet Bcharri History -
National Committee of Gibran - 1998 - p. 158
