To begin we can start with afqa :)
Afqa “The Return Of Adonis & Ishtar”
The Legend of Adonis and Ishtar has never
escaped my memories, and visiting the place where Adonis was born and died is truly magical. Adonis was born and died at the foot of the falls in Afqa Village and the ruins of the celebrated Temple of Ishatr “Ashtaroth” or “Aphrodite in Greek” or Venus in Roman” is located there honoring her legend.
In accordance with the Greek Mythology Legends, Afqa is associated with the cult of Aphrodite and Adonis. According to the myth, Cinyras, the King of Cyprus seduced his daughter Myrrha who was transformed into a tree that bears her name. After several months, the tree split open and the child Adonis emerged. He was reared by Aphrodite, who became enamored of him, causing her lover Ares to grow jealous. Ares sent a vicious boar to kill Adonis. At the pool at the foot of the falls of Afqa, Adonis bled to death from a deep wound in the groin. Aphrodite despaired at his death and out of pity for her the gods allowed Adonis to ascend from Hades for a short period each year. Each spring at Afqa, the melting snows flood the river, bringing a reddish mud into the stream from the steep mountain slopes. The red stain can be seen feeding into the river and far out to the Mediterranean Sea. Legend held this to be the blood of Adonis, renewed each year, at the time of his death. Also in the fertile valley surrounding the river, millions of scarlet anemones bloom, known as Adonis' flowers according to legend, they spring from his blood, spilled as he lay dying beneath the trees at Afqa, and return each year in remembrance.
The Temple to Ishtar or Aphrodite or Venus was built at the river falls where all sorts of obscenity were practiced and it remained there till Emperor Constantine ordered the aforementioned Temple to be demolished in the year 523, before AD. Eventually was converted into a Christian Church and all believers used to come there. The Lebanese Muslims and Christians used to believe that this place is miraculous and used to bring their sick people so to be cured there where vows are addressed to el Sayidah al-Kabirah "the Great Lady” or Saydet Afqa. The remains of Venus Temple now are some large remains over the roof of a building that slopes toward the south which is The Imam Husseini Mosque while Our Lady of Afqa Church is on the other side and it is an old church standing at the entrance to Afqa facing Mnaitira Village.
Afqa or Aphca in Latin means a famous historical site. Nfac in Syriac means to exit or flow, since Nahr Ibrahim flows from Afqa. In the Semitic language Afqa means a fortified place, as the town was a stronghold for the worship of the Phoenician god, Adonis. The Persian translation could give the best meaning since it means the Awakening or The Return and that’s connected to the return of Adonis every year. Also Afqa was known in ancient times as Apheca or Afeka and the word can be interpreted as "the source".
Afqa Village is located in Jbeil Casa and it’s standing with an altitude of 1,200 meters and its Grotto is made up of a cliff in the shape of a wide, spacious crescent moon with an altitude of 600 to 700 meters. In its midst lies a cave where water flows between the rocks like waterfalls. I’ve visited the Grotto and the ruins of the surrounding pagan temples and had to jump over the ruins stones so to get inside the waterfall and enjoy that magical scenery. Off course, that was not enough and I’ve checked the cave and was surprised by the beauty there.
Afqa “The Return Of Adonis & Ishtar”
 |
| Photo By Ali Badawi |
The Legend of Adonis and Ishtar has never
escaped my memories, and visiting the place where Adonis was born and died is truly magical. Adonis was born and died at the foot of the falls in Afqa Village and the ruins of the celebrated Temple of Ishatr “Ashtaroth” or “Aphrodite in Greek” or Venus in Roman” is located there honoring her legend.
 |
| Photo By Ali Badawi |
In accordance with the Greek Mythology Legends, Afqa is associated with the cult of Aphrodite and Adonis. According to the myth, Cinyras, the King of Cyprus seduced his daughter Myrrha who was transformed into a tree that bears her name. After several months, the tree split open and the child Adonis emerged. He was reared by Aphrodite, who became enamored of him, causing her lover Ares to grow jealous. Ares sent a vicious boar to kill Adonis. At the pool at the foot of the falls of Afqa, Adonis bled to death from a deep wound in the groin. Aphrodite despaired at his death and out of pity for her the gods allowed Adonis to ascend from Hades for a short period each year. Each spring at Afqa, the melting snows flood the river, bringing a reddish mud into the stream from the steep mountain slopes. The red stain can be seen feeding into the river and far out to the Mediterranean Sea. Legend held this to be the blood of Adonis, renewed each year, at the time of his death. Also in the fertile valley surrounding the river, millions of scarlet anemones bloom, known as Adonis' flowers according to legend, they spring from his blood, spilled as he lay dying beneath the trees at Afqa, and return each year in remembrance.
 |
| Photo By Ali Badawi |
Afqa or Aphca in Latin means a famous historical site. Nfac in Syriac means to exit or flow, since Nahr Ibrahim flows from Afqa. In the Semitic language Afqa means a fortified place, as the town was a stronghold for the worship of the Phoenician god, Adonis. The Persian translation could give the best meaning since it means the Awakening or The Return and that’s connected to the return of Adonis every year. Also Afqa was known in ancient times as Apheca or Afeka and the word can be interpreted as "the source".
Afqa Village is located in Jbeil Casa and it’s standing with an altitude of 1,200 meters and its Grotto is made up of a cliff in the shape of a wide, spacious crescent moon with an altitude of 600 to 700 meters. In its midst lies a cave where water flows between the rocks like waterfalls. I’ve visited the Grotto and the ruins of the surrounding pagan temples and had to jump over the ruins stones so to get inside the waterfall and enjoy that magical scenery. Off course, that was not enough and I’ve checked the cave and was surprised by the beauty there.
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