Birth, Baptism, Marriage, and Death Records of the
Church of Haret es-Saydeh, Tebbaneh, Tripoli
The church of the Virgin Mary ("The Madona", or "es-Saydeh" in Arabic) was built in the thirteenth century, in the quarter of the Christians (Harat en-Nasara) in Tripoli. It was called the "Madonna of the Quarter" or Saydet el-Hara. Later, that quarter of Tripoli became known as "Harat es-Saydeh", or the quarter of the Madonna.
Inscribed on its door step is the following : "This church was built in the year 1286 AD and was rehabilitated in the days of "Bishop Aarida" with the efforts of its (the church's) agent "Ibrahim Youssef el-Boustani". This was accomplished on 22 July 1924, and it was consacrated by said Bishop Aarida on 15 August of that year, the day of her ascension (the Madona's) to Heaven."
The following are select entries of the birth, baptism, marriage, and death records, recorder in the church books by father Youhanna Dib Lattouf, starting in 1905 (the year he was ordained priest of that parish):
- 9 September, 1910 - Passed to the grace of God, Hanna Dib Lattouf from Tripoli, Maronite residing in Haret es-Saydeh, on the ninth day of September 910, and was buried in the cemetery of Saydeh. He confessed and had his communion the day before his death, by of father Akkari, and was laid to rest by father Antoun Jbeir.
- 7 February, 1911 - Passed to the grace of God, Mariam Faddoul, wife of Hanna Dib. Maronite, residing in Saydeh, Tripoli, on the seventh day of February of the year one thousand nine hundred and eleven. She died at her house, and was laid to rest in the Saydeh cemetery, by father Youhanna Dib Lattouf.
