ICON ATELIER - SR. SOURAYA
With Pope Leo’s visit to Lebanon from November 30 to December 2, we focus on some of the help we have been giving to family businesses in that beautiful and struggling county over a number of years. This week, a special ‘family’ - the Basilian Melkite Catholic Sisters in Zouk-Mikael. We have helped the Sisters support themselves (a number are elderly and sick) by rebuilding their Icon workshop - and in particular, one of the Sisters - Sister Souraya, had painted several of our ‘Mother of the Persecuted’ icons, which are in several shrines throughout the world. Sister Souraya is currently working on an Icon called “Blessed are the Peacemakers,” to be presented to the Pope during the visit. Without your help, the Sisters would be deprived of an income and a way to touch many with their beautiful icons. Please help the Christian population in Lebanon and thank you for your support!
11/18/25
2 years ago in Zouk-Mikael, Lebanon, Sr. Souraya and the convent of Basilian Choueirite sisters experienced a flood and the icon workshop needed significant repairs. They lacked the necessary funds, but Nasarean was able to offer "a lifeline" (in her words). We are pleased to show you what your donations have been able to do for their facilities! Their icon work is so important to our religious heritage - and you are part of keeping that tradition alive.
4/4/23
Giving Tuesday 2022: This year we are focusing specifically on supporting businesses in Iraq and Lebanon, either recent start-ups, or businesses that have begun and need our support to thrive. Once again, this can make the difference between a family staying in their homeland, where Christians have been for 2000 years, or leaving and adding to the world migration crisis.
In Lebanon, in addition to paying a small stipend to our part-time coordinator, we will support, once again, our friend Sister Souraya and the convent and icon studio. The icon in the London shrine came from this convent in Zouk....
11/18/25
2 years ago in Zouk-Mikael, Lebanon, Sr. Souraya and the convent of Basilian Choueirite sisters experienced a flood and the icon workshop needed significant repairs. They lacked the necessary funds, but Nasarean was able to offer "a lifeline" (in her words). We are pleased to show you what your donations have been able to do for their facilities! Their icon work is so important to our religious heritage - and you are part of keeping that tradition alive.
4/4/23
Giving Tuesday 2022: This year we are focusing specifically on supporting businesses in Iraq and Lebanon, either recent start-ups, or businesses that have begun and need our support to thrive. Once again, this can make the difference between a family staying in their homeland, where Christians have been for 2000 years, or leaving and adding to the world migration crisis.
In Lebanon, in addition to paying a small stipend to our part-time coordinator, we will support, once again, our friend Sister Souraya and the convent and icon studio. The icon in the London shrine came from this convent in Zouk....
11/29/22
Wonderful article in the Tennessee Register about Sr. Souraya and her process with the London icon and working with Fr. Ben (click below for article).
9/14/22
Meet Sister Souraya! During our visit to Lebanon we went to Zouk, outside of Beirut, where we helped rebuild the icon studio or Atelier of Sr. Souraya, who is a Lebanese nun of the Basilian Order. Her icon of Mary, Mother of the Persecuted Church, will be enshrined in a special ceremony in London on September 8, a place of prayer for persecuted Christians, and the second Shrine we will have established after NYC in 2017.
6/29/22
Through your generosity, our latest project to help the Christians in Lebanon, is to assist our friend Sister Souraya, who is a Lebanese nun in the Basilian Order. She is an icon painter and we are helping to restore the Atelier where the sisters paint icons for the glory of God and to help the Christians in Lebanon. Sister Souraya thanks you for your support and generosity!
7/25/21