Biblical and Historical Explanation for the First Original Monumental KAFNO Ikon
Ikon painted by Tanya Maria Semaan
who generously provided this exegesis of the Ikon
The History on the Icon representing KAFNO
Towards the end of the 19th century, with the appearance of the concept of the nation state, the Ottomans sought to homogenize the population of their empire to construct a new geographic, historic, and demographic reality. This necessitated the extermination of indigenous peoples such as the Greeks in Asia Minor, the Assyro-Chaldeans in Upper Mesopotamia, the Armenians and Syriac Arameans in the eastern provinces and Cilicia, and the Mount Lebanese in the Levant.
Several massacres took place. It was with the division of Europe during the First World War that the plan of total extermination could be put into execution, the Germans having sided with Turkey. Massacres and deportations nearly ended the Christian presence in all the provinces of the Ottoman Empire.
But for Mount Lebanon, things were more complicated. There, sword and blood has typically provoked Western diplomatic and military interventions, as in 1860, and strengthened the resolve of the population and the Church, as happened later in 1975. Demographic transformations in Mount Lebanon are difficult to achieve by massacres and require a more underhanded approach, replacing the sword with famine and mass emigration.
Starvation
No longer able to carry out the bloody deportations as in Armenia and Upper Mesopotamia, the Ottomans opted for the fomentation of an economic crisis crowned by famine and lightning emigration in Lebanon to obtain the desired demographic change. As early as 1914, foreign currency was banned, and Ottoman currency became compulsory for any food transaction.
As soon as the Lebanese had finished exchanging all their foreign currencies into Ottoman Liras, the government proceeded to depreciate the currency by 20 times its value. Being completely dispossessed of all their savings, people turned to the diaspora for help. However, Ottoman soldiers intercepted the couriers and stole the money meant to assist the Mount Lebanese. Elsewhere, the confiscation of aid was done officially, with anyone caught carrying gold or silver arrested and executed. For nothing, people were court-martialled on the pretext of contacts with the enemy (France).
All reserves of kerosene were transported to Syria and trees felled and transported away, leaving no fuel for the Lebanese to heat themselves. Wheat reserves that could not be shipped were burned on the spot or thrown into the sea. Pharmacies were confiscated and medicines were sent to Syria — for the needs of the soldiers on the front, they said. According to this same argument, doctors were also taken to the front. The Lebanese people had to die, by hunger or by epidemic, to stifle any embryo of uprising or separatist isolationist inclination, as had happened in Armenia.
Resistance
Faced with these genocidal intentions, the Maronite Church was forced to establish a resistance which it immediately linked up with France. To this end, the patriarch had delegated Bishop Paul Akl to lead a network of resistant priests assisted by a militia. The bishop was also in charge of secret contacts with Commander Albert Trabaud, governor of the French military base on the island of Arwad.
Many continue today to claim that the famine was due to the Franco-British maritime blockade, yet the archives of the Jesuits, Quai d’Orsay, and elsewhere are full of details describing the process of channelling aid to Bkerké through the Franco-Lebanese network of Bishop Akl and Commander Trabaud.
Aid in the form of gold was transported at night in French boats off Bouar, north of Jounié Bay, to be relayed by Lebanese swimmers. Upon reaching the coast, the swimmers handed the gold over to a second group which transported it to Bkerké. It was first taken to Beirut where it was exchanged for Ottoman currency. Every member of this network ran the risk of the death penalty at all times.
Between Two Wars
After the First World War which caused millions of deaths, the various peoples liberated from the Ottoman yoke proceeded to construct their identities based on the revival of language, literature, history, culture, the arts, and mythology. Their future and the nations they envisioned could only be built on cultural awareness, the lessons of history, and reverence for the sacrifices of heroes and martyrs. Monuments have been erected in public squares in Serbia, Armenia, and Greece. They created the modern versions of Serbian, Armenian, Greek, Hebrew, Syriac and made them official national languages. Only a few decades earlier, they were moribund.
The genocide became Tseghaspanoutioun for the Christians of Armenia and Sayfo (the sword) for those of Upper Mesopotamia. In Lebanon, the genocide which cost the life of half the population was not done by the sword but by famine, hence its name Kafno, or hunger, in the Syriac language of Mount- Lebanon.
24 April, or Denial
But who has heard of Kafno? While the descendants of the survivors of Tseghaspanoutioun and Sayfo commemorate their martyrs on 24 April each year, while they fight for this recognition in all the capitals of the world, in Lebanon, we learn that the massacres of 1860 were due to a game of marbles and that the Great Famine of 1914–18 was the fault of grasshoppers.
“When a people no longer dares to defend its language, it is ripe for slavery,” said Rémy de Gourmont. And when a people no longer dares to write its history and honor its martyrs, it is ripe for its suppression. Not commemorating Kafno — not teaching its underhandedness and premeditation — is to be condemned to relive the confiscation of savings, the devaluation of the national currency, expropriation, exploitation, the theft of fuel, medicines, and food, the voluntary or involuntary departure of doctors and youth, assassinations and violence, huge explosions, demographic upheavals, the confiscation of the country, lands, children, and life.
The descent into Hell begins when you no longer dare to confess your identity and your history and practice your language and your culture.
The Whole Prophetic Vision in the liturgical icon production
Lower Scene in the Kafno Icon
Location:
The Levant, Mount Lebanon revealed with the majestic and holy cedars and the
Mediterranean Sea.
The Characters:
Taken from the actual photographs of the people who remained in Mount
Lebanon (1914-1918) and suffered the oppression through famine for reason of their Christian faith.
History:
Linked Article written by Dr. Amine Jules Iskandar
Upper Scene in the Kafno Icon
For the sakes of sound scriptural teaching regarding the icon representing Kafno, only referenced biblical verses and narratives will be listed below.
These verses below are titled accordingly and will be dealing with the understanding of the main elements regarding the icon and the underlying account regarding Christ that ultimately should function through this work to invite the reader into the Word. That includes the expected trials, the expected judgements, the expected resurrection, the expected second coming, and the glory of the expected hope in the marriage of the Bride and the Lamb.
It is correct doctrine to state that the way to reading these scriptures in order to have fullness of understanding is ideally at its best when the whole of the Holy Bible is read. Keeping in mind that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has indeed already pointed out to us that: ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end’. (Ecclesiastes 3 :11)
The Trials of many forms –the oppression, famine and plagues
The story of Kafno is well clear on that, as expected and prophesied in scriptures, true believers have, do and will inevitably have tribulation in this life on earth.
We know this if we remember what He told us: ‘A servant is not greater than His master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also.
(John 15 :20).
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12).
Paul in Romans, through the Holy Spirit is clearly reminding us of the value in endurance:
“18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the
glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18).
James seeks to encourage us also in expectation of difficulty to: 2 Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds. (James 1:2).
This icon reveals to us not only a real historical event that happened in Mount Lebanon, but as among many more it is an icon that stands witness to the foretold, inevitable suffering of man because of the fall and because of the sinful nature and what took place with the first Adam in the garden. (Genesis 3) (Galatians 5:19-21) (Romans 5 :12).
However dear friends, it certainly does not end there.
In this article we will not be delving into the reasons for sin or the explanations of the redemption plan through the cross that the Lord Jesus has established through His incarnation in order that we may be saved through His perfect sacrifice.
Now having put away our old nature (Colossians 3:5) through crucifying it with the Lord, (Romans 6:6) we have eaten His Body and drank His Blood (John 6 :53) in the new covenant and now are reconciled with the Father and we, the church as His Bride, having one Head and Shepherd, we are now fully covered in His robe of righteousness, Him having bought us with His Blood and washed us clean spotless and blameless before the Father. We are not given unto His Holy wrath but rather Kingdom heirs and partakers in His glory forever. (1 John 1 :7) (Acts 20 :28) (Colossians1 :20) (Ephesians 1:7) (Ezekiel 16) (Hebrews 9 :22) (Hebrews 9 :14) (Luke 22 :20) (Romans 5 :9) 1 Peter 1 :18-19) (John 6 :55-59)(1 Corinthians 11 :24-30) (Isaiah 61:10)
We will however, having testified of this Holy Truth, which is the basis for our Faith and the Knowledge of Christ upon His Word now take a dive into an Image of the authority we now have in Christ upon being resurrected in Him, partaking in His sovereignty unto good works and fruits worthy of repentance. We will witness together, as this icon invites us to partake with the King of Kings seated on His Throne of Majesty and with all the saints seated with Him in the heavenly places. (Hebrews 1:3) (Ephesians 2:6) (Luke 10:19) (1 John 4:4) (Ephesians 2:6) (Genesis 1:26) (Titus 2:15) (Matthew 3:8) (Revelation 2 :5)
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20).
Here is the testimony that the son has of the Father, revealing how the Father is only pleased with the son of man hence our desperate need of the work established by the son on calvary.
Jesus says here: “The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent Me, and loved them, even as you loved Me.
(John 17:22-23) (Matthew 3 :17) (Isaiah 42:1).
We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39).
These verses speak of the seal of the Holy Spirit and the established and redemptive reconciliation ministry we know have in Christ. It is finished.
(2 Corinthians: 5-21) (Isaiah 42:1) (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) (John 19 :30) (Hebrews 9:12) In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
The upper part of this icon reveals to us the Great judge, a Holy and Just Father, He who has also promised a wrath to come upon those who had committed evils and have not repented.
Judgment of the wicked- The Seven trumpets
The first trumpet.
7
When the first angel sounds his trumpet, the world experiences “hail and fire mixed with blood” One third of the world’s trees are burned up in this plague, and all the grass is consumed. (Revelation 8:7)
The second trumpet
8
In heaven, a second angel sounds a trumpet. The result is that “something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea” A third of the sea turns to blood, a third of the ships sink. (Revelation 8:8)
The third trumpet.
10
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters.
11
And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. (Revelation 8:10-11).
The fourth trumpet
12
And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so, as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! (Revelation 8: 12-13)
The fifth trumpet
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8
And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew
tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12
One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. (Revelation 9: 1 -12)
The sixth trumpet
13
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar
which is before God,
14
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred million: I heard the number of them.
17
And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18
By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19
For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
20
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9 :13-21)
The seventh trumpet
The Kingdom Proclaimed
15
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
16
And the twenty-four elders who sat before
God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18
The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thundering, an earthquake, and great hail.
(Revelation 10: 1-7)
The Last trumpet
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.
And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth. And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm. (Revelation 11:15-19)
The Resurrection and the new Adam and Eve in Christ’s Image
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16).
The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47).
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. (1 Corinthians 15:46).
For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming. (1 Corinthians 15:21-23)
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19)
The Return of the King on the clouds with the Great Multitude.
9
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10
and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
11
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.
Amen.
13
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14
And I said unto him, Sir you know. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and He who sits the throne shall dwell among them.
16
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:9–17)
7
“Look, He is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see Him,
even those who pierced Him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of Him.”
So shall it be! Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
9
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11
who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)
…
16
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.
17
After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.
18
Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1Thessalonians 4 :16-17)
The Robes of fine white linen
6
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7
Let us rejoice and exult
and give Him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His Bride has made Herself ready;
8
it was granted Her to clothe Herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage
supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
(Revelation 19:6-9)
The Creatures with Four Faces- those ever- present at the throne of God
‘The Vision of Ezekiel’
4
I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing
lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,
5
and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human,
6
but each of them had four faces and four wings.
7
Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.
8
Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings,
9
and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.
10
Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.
11
Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each
wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body.
12
Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.
13
The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire
or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it.
14
The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.
15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.
16
This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like
topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel.
17
As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went.
18
Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.
19
When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.
20
Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
21
When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22
Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome.
23
Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body.
24
When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like
the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25
Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings.
26
Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.
27
I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.
8
Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. (Ezekiel 1: 4-28)
6
Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
7
The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the
third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
9
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever. (Revelation 4: 6-9)
The Bride and the awaited Blessed Hope upon the second coming of the Lord
Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:9)
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9)
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. (Revelation 1 :3)
If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:19)
The translated inscriptions of the Syriac, Bible verse placed top of the icon.
This Bible verse was chosen to crown all things with the Seal of the Word that promises the eternal inheritance of those walking in the Spirit, not according to the flesh but in all things are steadfast in repentance holding on to their Crown of Life.
.Assorted by Tanya Maria – Artist
References:
Article:
Famine as a Strategy of Geopolitical and Demographic Upheaval
By Dr. Amine Jules Iskandar Syriac Maronite Union-Tur Levnon
Published on 25/04/2022
This article was originally published in French by Ici Beyrouth on 24 April 2022. The original can be found here.
Dr. Amine Jules Iskandar is an architect and the former president of the Syriac Maronite Union – Tur Levnon. Amine Jules Iskandar has written several articles on the Syriac Maronites, their language, culture, and history. You can follow him @Amineiskandar2
For the article in French see Ici Beyrouth. For the article in Spanish see Maronitas.org.
The Holy Bible
It is greatly worth mentioning that even though all theological explanations in this article are already referenced from the Holy Bible in the various books that they are found at. There are so much more
that they could not have fit the limitation of this article.
The reader is highly encouraged to do their own research.
About the Artist
Tanya Maria Semaan is an artist and an art teacher from Lebanon, Middle East. She resorted to drawing and painting ever since she was a little girl as a means to play, express her artistic inclination and mostly her inner world.
Tanya Maria graduated from the Lebanese American University with a Bachelor in Liberal Arts and an emphasis on Fine Arts. She then became an Art and Music school teacher (also having had an extensive musical education, studying the classical piano at the National Lebanese Conservatory). Alongside her teaching, she continued with her own experimenting with art methods, techniques and mediums.
As she evolved along the years, the content of her art became more infused with the symbolic nature of the world and sacred geometry. The Psychology aspect of dealing with life through art allowed her to find some deeper purpose and meaning behind creating. Hence, she delved into the psychedelic arts that ultimately influenced her further contribution to what was going to lead to what she considers a greater Revolution of a deeper spiritual awakening through the Scriptural, visionary and prophetic dimension of the arts.
With the growth of her deeper interest in Christian doctrine and philosophy, Semaan continued her education in the Christian iconographic arts with one of the best Master iconographers in Beirut.
Now, alongside her being a full- time art and music school teacher whilst also running her personal studio in the Mountains of North Mount Lebanon, Semaan continues with her extensive recent 4 years, as of 2019 to study Christian Theology as her art continues to evolve infused now with a clearer message, vision and purpose.
It is worth mentioning that Semaan has found all the more a deeper joy and calling as she developed a successful approach to the whole other challenging dimension of providing art education to those with special needs.
Mainly however, her core interest remains driven by the Holy purpose to serve the Church of Christ worldwide, to spread the prophetic and healing Word of the Gospel proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord.
Through the testimony of the sacred arts and daily life, she is on a mission that tackles the earthly mundane, the history, the present and the future of both this world and our eternal inheritance.
Photographer Credits
‘Kafno lower scene reference’ by photographer Ibrahim Naoum Kanaan.
‘Original Kafno ikon and Atelier Tanya Maria photos’ by photographer Issam Joseph Anaissi.
Tanya Maria Semaan
Tanya Maria Semaan is an artist and an art teacher from Lebanon, Middle East. She resorted to drawing and painting ever since she was a little girl as a means to play, express her artistic inclination and mostly her inner world. Tanya Maria graduated from the Lebanese American University with a Bachelor in Liberal Arts and an emphasis on Fine Arts. She then became an Art and Music school teacher (also having had an extensive musical education, studying the classical piano at the National Lebanese Conservatory). Alongside her teaching, she continued with her own experimenting with art methods, techniques and mediums. As she evolved along the years, the content of her art became more infused with the symbolic nature of the world and sacred geometry. The Psychology aspect of dealing with life through art allowed her to find some deeper purpose and meaning behind creating. Hence, she delved into the psychedelic arts that ultimately influenced her further contribution to what was going to lead to what she considers a greater Revolution of a deeper spiritual awakening through the Scriptural, visionary and prophetic dimension of the arts. With the growth of her deeper interest in Christian doctrine and philosophy, Semaan continued her education in the Christian iconographic arts with one of the best Master iconographers in Beirut. Now, alongside her being a full- time art and music school teacher whilst also running her personal studio in the Mountains of North Mount Lebanon, Semaan continues with her extensive recent 4 years, as of 2019 to study Christian Theology as her art continues to evolve infused now with a clearer message, vision and purpose. It is worth mentioning that Semaan has found all the more a deeper joy and calling as she developed a successful approach to the whole other challenging dimension of providing art education to those with special needs. Mainly however, her core interest remains driven by the Holy purpose to serve the Church of Christ worldwide, to spread the prophetic and healing Word of the Gospel proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord. Through the testimony of the sacred arts and daily life, she is on a mission that tackles the earthly mundane, the history, the present and the future of both this world and our eternal inheritance.