On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 2025, the Maronite community of Halifax gathered for a moment of profound faith as the women of The Confraternity of Our Lady of Lebanon renewed their sacred promise during the Divine Liturgy. The celebration took place on the feast of the Birth of Saint John the Baptist, a day filled with symbolism, calling the faithful to reflect on family, legacy, and the promises that shape Christian life.

The devotion to the Immaculate Conception is one of the oldest and most cherished Marian traditions in the Catholic Church. Although the belief existed as early as the sixth century in the Eastern Churches, it gained universal clarity through key moments:

• Celebrated in the Eastern Christian world as early as the year 650
  Adopted in England in the year 1060 under Saint Anselm of Canterbury.
• Strongly promoted during the 12th and 13th centuries by theologians in France and Italy.
• Officially defined as dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854 in the Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus.

After this declaration, Catholic communities across the world created confraternities dedicated to honoring the purity and maternal protection of the Virgin Mary. Women of every country formed associations dedicated to prayer, virtue, charity, and the spiritual education of their families.

In Lebanon, confraternities found fertile ground, especially since the Maronites have always held a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. During times of persecution, the only sacred object their Patriarch carried with him was the Syriac icon of Sayyidat Ilij. Inspired by this strong Marian heritage, many aronite villages formed confraternities in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries under the guidance of:

• The Jesuit Fathers.
• The Lazarist Missions.
• The Maronite clergy who were influenced by their education in Collegio Maronita Pontificale in Rome.

Lebanese women embraced this devotion, especially in the North and Mount Lebanon. Their mission was simple but powerful: pray, serve, teach their children the faith, and imitate the virtues of Mary Theotokos.

When Lebanese families immigrated to Canada, they carried their spiritual traditions with them. The Confraternity of Our Lady of Lebanon was founded at Our Lady of Lebanon in Halifax by a group of devoted Maronite women who wished to preserve the same promise their mothers had made in Lebanon.

Their meetings, prayers, and quiet service helped establish parish life for Maronites in Nova Scotia. Today, the church is filled with the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those first women. Their faith became a legacy that shaped the identity of the Maronite community in Atlantic Canada.

This year, the confraternity welcomed Norma Chalouhy Saleh, the newest member who joins a long line of women committed to Marian devotion and community service.

The morning liturgy followed the traditional Maronite structure.
Before the Gospel reading, the congregation listened to the Old Testament passage about the birth of Samuel, the child given to Hannah after years of prayer. Samuel became a prophet because of a vow his mother made to dedicate him to the Lord. Hannah’s promise mirrors the promise made by the women of the confraternity: a commitment that influences generations.

Following the Gospel, Father Namatallah Eid delivered a powerful homily. He spoke about the meaning of a promise and reminded the congregation that promises shape every part of life. Work is a commitment to serve with honesty and responsibility. Marriage is a sacred union in which husband and wife vow to love, sacrifice, and build a family rooted in faith. Military service carries a solemn pledge to protect the country and uphold its values.

Father Eid emphasized that the promise of the confraternity is no different. It is a lifelong spiritual commitment, made by women who dedicate their lives to prayer, family, and community. He pointed to the full church as living proof of their impact. The descendants of these women are the reason the parish is vibrant today.

As the liturgy ended, parishioners exited the church to find a beautiful and heartfelt gesture. The women of the confraternity had prepared a small buffet of sweets and homemade Lebanese delicatessen. It was their way of offering hospitality and sharing joy with the entire community. The tables were filled with the flavours of Lebanon, reminding everyone of home, family, and faith.

The Confraternity is more than a group. It is a chain that links mothers to daughters, grandmothers to grandchildren, and Lebanon to Halifax. It is a living tradition that shaped the Maronite presence in Nova Scotia. From Pope Pius IX to the villages of Lebanon, and from Lebanon to Canada, this promise has crossed oceans and centuries. It continues today through faithful women.

May this promise continue to inspire future generations.