When Pope St. John Paul II spoke of the Church “breathing with two lungs,” he imagined East and West united in worship.
That unity was on full display at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in North Jackson last week, as the 60th Annual Assumption Pilgrimage drew together Latin and Maronite Catholics—a celebration made ven more special due to it being a Jubilee Year.
Bishop David Bonnar of the Diocese of Youngstown celebrated a Roman Rite liturgy, joined by Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, as well as Maronite clergy and hundreds of pilgrims. The liturgy was followed by a procession with the icon of the Blessed Mother.
“This is my fifth year being part of the pilgrimage, and it’s always an honor to be here,” Bishop Bonnar said. “This is such a beautiful place, filled with serenity and peace. The people are exceptional. I always come away feeling like a new person.”
Bishop Bonnar said the event offers Latin Rite Catholics an opportunity to celebrate the Jubilee Year with their Maronite brothers and sisters. “You really behold the hope that is ours when you look at the people of Lebanon and what they’ve endured. They are shining models of faith and resiliency,” he said.
The roots of the Shrine go back to 1960, when Maronite priests in the U.S. first proposed building a Marian shrine. In 1961, 80 acres of land were purchased in North Jackson, and ground was broken in August 1964 on a stone replica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, Lebanon. The statue of the Virgin Mary was placed atop the tower in July 1965, and the Shrine was dedicated on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption. Pope Francis granted the location Basilica status in 2014.
Chorbishop Anthony Salvatore Spinosa, rector of the Basilica, said, “Immigrants remembered the shrine they left in Lebanon … It was intended from the start as a place for Maronites and the wider Church to come together.”
Monsignor Robert Siffrin, vicar general of the Diocese of Youngstown, said the pilgrimage is “a joyful celebration for the region. The Blessed Mother always reminds us, ‘Do whatever Jesus tells you.’ It’s also a vivid reminder of the richness of the Church in Northeast Ohio—East and West together.”
Bishop Zaidan noted that Marian devotion unites traditions. “Our devotion to Mary is a devotion that unites us all. It is a true honor to share this weekend with Bishop David Bonnar. As Pope John Paul II wrote, the Eastern and Western Churches are like the ‘right and left lungs of the Church’—both necessary for its full breath and life.”
For Bishop Bonnar, the pilgrimage is as much about personal renewal as it is about tradition. “I enjoy coming here to pray in the chapel, visit the bookstore and spend time with the Antoinine Sisters, who inspire me with their faith,” he said. “It’s a great experience to connect with my brother bishops, share a meal and celebrate the richness of our Catholic heritage.”
Learn more about the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon.
