GREEKS.

The most numerous of all the Christian sects are the Greeks. They are so called in Syria, merely because of their professing the Greek faith, and belonging to the Greek church. There are now no traces, either in their spoken language or in the language of their public services, of any national affinity with the Greek people. They are Arabs, like the other Arabs of the country. Nor, on the other hand, are there any indications of a Syriac origin in any part; with the single exception of Ma'lula and its vicinity, on Anti-Lebanon north of Damascus. In this region, the dialect now spoken, as well as the old church books, long since indeed disused, show that the inhabitants are originally of the Syrian race. With this exception, the language of the Greek Christians of Syria, both as spoken and as used in their churches, is Arabic.

The spoken Arabic differs so little from the language of books, that all books written in a plain style, are intelligible to the common people.' Hence it will be seen, that these Christians enjoy the great privilege, of having their religious worship conducted in a language which they understand; a privilege denied to those of the same church, who speak the Greek tongue, and to every other Christian sect indeed in Western Asia, except their countrymen and relatives, the Greek Catholics. Perhaps, however, it should be added, that their church books contain many untranslated technical terms, from the Greek; and that on particular occasions, or for the sake of variety, certain portions of the service, or even the whole service, is sometimes said in Greek.

This is most frequently the case, when the high clergy officiate. It is an important fact, that nearly if not quite all the bishops of this sect, are Greeks by birth, and foreigners in the country; a circumstance which shows how great an influence the see of Constantinople exerts, in the ecclesiastical affairs of Syria. It is a fact to be lamented. These bishops rarely learn to speak the Arabic language well; of course they cannot preach; and their medium of intercourse with the people in conversation is very imperfect. There naturally fails to take place that unity of national feeling between the bishop and his flock, which might lead to national improvement, especially in education. A Greek bishop from abroad, able only to stammer Arabic, and perhaps not reading it at all, and regarding it only as a barbarous dialect, (a feeling which is inherent in almost

This important remark is from the pen opportunities of forming a correct judg of Mr Smith, who has had the very best ment.

every Greek by birth,) cannot be expected to take much interest in promoting a system of national education among his flock. It is a natural result, though not arising exclusively from the cause here brought to view, that nothing of the kind is done. If a bishop thinks of establishing a school, as the object of his own particular patronage, it will be a school for teaching Greek, ancient or modern; and generally the apparent ruling motive, even for such a step, will be, that he may have around him a sufficient number of persons acquainted with the Greek, to assist him, when he performs the services of the church in that tongue.

There exists, in the whole country, no school for the education of the Greek clergy. The parish priests are taken from the ranks of the common people, with no other preparation for their sacred office, than the ceremony of ordination. They are generally selected, each by the parish which he is to serve, from among themselves; and the usual ordination fee to the bishop, rarely fails to secure the administration of that rite, according to their wishes. These priests are universally married, and differ not in character from the rest of the people; frequently occupying themselves with the same handiwork, from which they obtained their livelihood before assuming the ecclesiastical character. They are often the schoolmasters of their villages; if that can be called a school, which consists of some half a dozen boys coming together at irregular hours, and bawling over their lessons, right or wrong, while their master is engaged in working at his trade.1

The doctrines and ceremonies of the Greek church in Syria, are the same as in other countries; and therefore need not be described here.

In its ecclesiastical organization, the Greek church in Syria is divided into the two patriarchal dioceses of Antioch and Jerusalem; an arrangement which has existed ever since the fifth century. These are, nominally, both independent of the Greek patriarch of Constantinople; but are really, to a great extent, under his control.

2

The head of the diocese of Antioch, is ordinarily styled "Patriarch of Antioch and of all the East;" and on certain occasions, more fully, "Patriarch of Antioch, Syria, Cilicia, and all the East." The Syrian bishoprics under his jurisdiction are the following: 1. Beirut, which is the largest; and its occupant is styled also "Bishop of Phenicia on the coast." 2. Tripoly (Tarâbulus). 3. 'Akkar. 4. Laodicea (el-Lâdikîyeh). 5. Hamah. 6. Hums (Emessa). 7. Saidanaya and Ma'lûla. 8. See the description of a Greek-Arab See Vol. I. p. 380. schoolmaster, Vol. I. p. 454.

Tyre, including Hâsbeiya and Râsheiya.'-Aleppo formerly belonged also to the patriarchate of Antioch. But it was severed from it not many years ago, on occasion of a dissension between the Greeks and Greek Catholics of that city; and has ever since remained under the immediate ecclesiastical government of Constantinople. The patriarch of Antioch usually resides at Damascus; and from this circumstance is ordinarily spoken of by the people, as the patriarch of Damascus. He is also a

Greek by birth.

The jurisdiction of the patriarchate of Jerusalem begins at ''Akka, and extends over the whole of Palestine, both west and east of the Jordan. The following are the bishoprics subject to it: 1. Nazareth. 2. 'Akka. 3. Lydda. 4. Gaza. 5. Sebaste. 6. Nabulus. 7. Philadelphia (es-Salt). 8. Petra (Kerak). Of these bishops, only the bishop of 'Akka resides within his own see; all the rest remain shut up in the convents at Jerusalem. The patriarch himself is also a non-resident, living at Constantinople; and never, so far as we could learn, visiting his diocese. His place is represented, and the business of the patriarchate transacted, by a board of bishops (Wakîls) at Jerusalem."

GREEK CATHOLICS.

The sect of Greek Catholics had its origin in a secession from the Greek church in Syria; which was brought about by Roman Catholic influence, not far from a century ago. Until recently, this sect existed only in Syria; but has now extended itself into Egypt. The Greeks who have elsewhere submitted themselves to the pope, have generally become amalgamated with the Latin church. The Greek Catholics of Syria, on the contrary, are a sect by themselves, constituting an oriental papal church. They take indeed the occidental view of the procession of the Holy Spirit, believe in purgatory and the pope, eat fish in lent, and keep a smaller number of fasting days than the Greeks; but otherwise, they subjected themselves to few changes, in passing from one jurisdiction to the other. They still enjoy the same privilege as their countrymen of the Greek church, in having their religious services performed in their native Arabic tongue. They observe the oriental calendar; receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper, in both kinds, as formerly; and their priests are still allowed to marry. This however, is not done so universally, as among the Greek-Arab clergy; a large part of them remaining unmarried.

'See above, p. 466.

rusalem, their convents, and bishops, Vol.

* See the account of the Grecks, at Je- I. pp. 424, 425.

1

They have eight bishoprics; and have long had their own. patriarch; but until the country came under the more tolerant government of Egypt, he uniformly resided in Mount Lebanon; where the local authorities have, for many years, been under papal influence. He has now removed to Damascus; was fully acknowledged by the Egyptian government; and has extended his diocese into Egypt. The high clergy of this sect are mostly Arabs by birth, and at the same time educated at Rome. They thus unite a natural attachment to their countrymen, with some degree of European cultivation; and the result is a certain elevation of their sect. The patriarch has also established a college, for teaching different languages and branches of science; which however seems, as yet, to have accomplished very little. It was afterwards destroyed during the war with the Druzes.

The sect embraces a large proportion of the most enterprising and wealthy Christians in Syria, and possesses great influence. Especially do its members occupy more than their due proportion of offices under the government. Some of them were now in high favour; and this secured for the sect, at the time, great consideration.

A convent belonging to the Greek Catholics, at esh-Shuweir in Mount Lebanon, has for many years possessed an Arabic printing press; which supplies their own church, and also the Greeks, with most of their church books. The press in 1845 was nearly worn out.

MARONITES.

The sect of the Maronites furnishes decisive evidence of Syrian origin. Its ecclesiastical language is wholly Syriac; though none now understand it, except as a learned language. The Maronites also not unfrequently write Arabic in the Syriac character. They acknowledge no affinity with any other sect in the country, except through a common relationship to the

3

While in Cairo I once attended the service of the Greek Catholics in company with Messrs Lieder and Smith, where the patriarch was present, conducted the service, and afterwards preached a sermon. All was in Arabic. The room was small and crowded; the people stood and listened attentively to the discourse; but on a motion of the hand by the patriarch, all squatted down upon their feet. He was a man of noble mien; his manner dignified, full of gesture, and impressive. His sermon, according to the judgment of my companions, was well ordered, logical, full

of good sense and practical force.-On the origin of this sect, see Smith and Dwight's Res. in Armenia, I. pp. 61, 62.

This is the celebrated press of the convent Mar Yohanna, which has been in operation ever since A. D. 1733. See Volney's account of the press and the books printed, Voyage Vol. II. pp. 174184. Schnurrer Bibliotheca Arabica, p. 379 sq. Miss. Herald, 1845, p. 355.-For a more detailed account of the Greek Catholics, see Miss. Herald, ibid. pp. 354, 355.

See also Burckhardt's Travels p. 22.

pope. They are disposed to be exclusive, and also conceited in the idea of their unparalleled orthodoxy; and are not much liked by their neighbours, even of the papal church; being generally accused of narrow-mindedness.

The Maronites are characterized by an almost unequalled devotedness to the see of Rome, and the most implicit obedience to their priests. It may be doubted, whether there is to be found, anywhere, a people who have so sincere and deep a reverence for the pope, as the Maronites of Syria. Yet they have their own distinct church establishment; and also some usages which are not tolerated in the papal church in Europe. They follow indeed the occidental calendar; observe the same rules of fasting as the European papists; and celebrate in the same manner the sacrament of the Lord's supper. But they have some saints of their own, and especially their patron saint, Mâr Mârôn, not elsewhere acknowledged in the papal church. And every candidate for the priesthood, who is not already under the vow of celibacy, is allowed to marry before ordination; so that most of their parish clergy are actually married men. They have nine dioceses and more bishops; and at their head a patriarch, who styles himself "Patriarch of Antioch." His usual residence is the convent of Kanôbîn, on Mount Lebanon, back of Tripoly; though during the summer months his head quarters are at the convent Bkerky, in Kesrawân. They have in all more than fifty convents.

The Maronites are found in cities and large towns, as far north as Aleppo, and as far south as Nazareth. But they are at home, as cultivators of the soil, only in Mount Lebanon; unless with very few exceptions. This mountain they inhabit, more or less, throughout its whole range, from its northern end above Tripoly to the region of Safed. But their strong hold is Kesrawân, a district separated from that of Metn on the south by Nahr el-Kelb, and bounded on the north by the district of Jebeil. Of this tract they are almost the only inhabitants. Throughout the whole of the country governed by the Emir Beshir, they are more numerous than any other sect. The balance of power, which was formerly kept up between them and the Druzes, is now entirely destroyed; the latter having become far inferior in numbers and strength. This is the result of the conversion of the ruling family of Emîrs, the house of Shehab, who were formerly Muslims, to the Maronite faith. Their example had great influence; and has been followed by the two largest branches of another family of Emîrs of Druze origin; so that now almost all the highest nobility of the mountain are Maronites.1

For the history and character of the pp. 1-100. Niebuhr Reiseb. II. pp. 425 sq. Maronites, see Le Quien Oricns Chr. III. 455 sq. Volney Voyage II. p. 8 sq. Par