St Mary Greek Melkite Church in Benouaiti is a Melkite parish of the Virgin in this Chouf village, worshipping in the Greek Catholic tradition with its icons and Arabic liturgy. It stands near St Michael’s, giving Benouaiti two church titles worth distinguishing. The Melkite presence in the southern half of Mount Lebanon is easy to overlook if you only list Maronite shrines. Visit respectfully between services, dress modestly and do not use flash on icons if you are allowed inside. The stop is short and rural. For a complete church map of the Chouf, Benouaiti’s Melkite St Mary belongs beside the better-known parishes of Deir el Qamar and Jounieh.
