Seminary’s history in brief
The Jesuits bought the palace of Emir Abdullah Shehab and its annexes in Ghazir and converted it into a seminary for the Catholic communities, according to the will of Rome and the wishes of the Catholic Patriarchs.
In 1843
The school started up its activities and taught theology and languages: Italian, Latin and Arabic.
In 1845-1846
After the Jesuits established the Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ Beyrouth), the seminarians moved to the Faculty of Theology and the school became a Jesuit monastery.
In 1875
The Ottoman army occupied the monastery and expelled the monks.
In 1914
The Jesuit Fathers restored the monastery and established an orphanage.
In 1918
At the request of the Maronite Patriarch Antoun Arida, Ghazir was reestablished as a Minor Seminary for the Maronite Church under the direction of the Jesuit Fathers.
In 1934
The direction of the Minor Seminary was handed over to the Maronite Patriarchate.
In 1965
The Faculty of Theology at Saint Joseph University in Beirut was closed, and the older seminarians moved to Ghazir and joined the Faculty of Theology at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK). Thus, Ghazir became the residence of the Minor and the Major Seminaries under the direction of the Maronite Church.
In 1974
Patriarch Anthony Khoraish bought the Seminary building from the Jesuits and the renovation and expansion workshop began and is still going on.
In 1976
