Our Lady of Victory is home to the Maronite Mission
Our Story
Since 2001, the Maronite community has gathered in various Roman Catholic churches throughout Columbus to celebrate the Divine Liturgy while working diligently toward establishing a church of their own.
In July 2023, His Excellency Bishop Earl Fernandes graciously granted the Maronite Mission of Our Lady of Lebanon permission to make Our Lady of Victory its spiritual home.
The Maronite Mission is part of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, under the leadership of His Excellency Bishop A. Elias Zaidan.
The Maronite Divine Liturgy is now celebrated at Our Lady of Victory every Sunday at 11:30 AM.
Who are the Maronites?
The Maronites are Eastern Catholics rooted in the ancient Church of Antioch, where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).
In the 4th century, St. Maron, a hermit priest renowned for his holiness and miracles, inspired a monastic movement that provided structure and resilience to the faithful in the region.
This movement united them into a closely knit community, which became known as the Maronites.
Their heritage is deeply connected to the Syriac tradition—the Aramaic language and culture spoken by Christ and His Apostles.
St. Maron
St. Maron was a 4th-century Syriac monk born near Antioch around 350 AD. Motivated by a profound desire for holiness, he embraced a life of solitude on Mount Nabo, living outdoors while dedicating himself to prayer, fasting, and converting an abandoned temple into a church.
Renowned for his deep faith and healing gifts, St. Maron attracted many followers and became widely revered throughout the region.
Despite his growing fame, he remained steadfast in his commitment to asceticism and evangelization. St. Maron passed away around 410 AD, but his disciples continued his mission, laying the foundation for what would become the Maronite Church.
His feast day is celebrated annually on February 9.
The Maronites and the mountains of Lebanon
Christianity spread early along the Phoenician coast, as Jesus and the Apostles preached openly in cities such as Tyre and Sidon. However, the remote mountains of Lebanon remained largely pagan.
Centuries later, the disciples of St. Maron, facing persecution and displacement from the plains of Syria where they had established their monasteries, sought refuge in the rugged mountains of Lebanon.
There, secluded in these mountains, they continued their mission of evangelization by founding monastic communities and spreading the Gospel among the mountain villages, many of which embraced the faith.
Renowned for their profound spirituality, strong monastic heritage, and enduring faith despite persecution, the Maronites have preserved their distinct liturgy, theology, and culture for centuries.