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Revelry ruled over the 1000 block of Ellsworth Street Friday through Sunday, as St. Maron’s Catholic Church, 1013 Ellsworth St., enchanted cultural connoisseurs by reinstituting its Lebanese Festival. An irresistible combination of meals and music helped the 117-year-old site to celebrate its Asian ancestry and attract attention to its increasing Passyunk Square clout.
“Lebanese people respect their heritage and have sought to gain a sense of belonging wherever they go,” Rev. Vincent Farhat said Saturday afternoon. “A gathering like this builds camaraderie while acquiring funds for our spiritual home.”
Deriving its name from a fifth-century Syriac Christian monk whose spirituality gained Lebanese and Syrian followers, the nation’s second oldest Maronite church began its fellowship weekend in 1976 at the suggestion of recently deceased parishioner Joe Karam Sr.
“He felt a block party would show pride and help with programs and upkeep,” cousin John Zaidan said as traditional tunes sated auditory yearning. “We started with little but have improved to be able to welcome good crowds.”
Having planned to meet up with friends Sunday, Mary Ellen Burd yielded to hunger Saturday, with 7-month-old son Sam and husband Meir as company.
“The food,” the resident of the 1100 block of Annin Street said of her main reason for visiting. “There are so many choices.”
Burd picked Lebanon’s national dish, kibbeh, a patty consisting of bulgur, lamb and onions, for lunch, with other patrons selecting baba ghanoush, falafel, hummus and tabbouleh, staples of the Levantine diet.
“Food unites us, too,” Farhat said of his heritage, which includes significant Christian and Muslim populations. “We often use it to foster unions, even when those enjoying it seem disparate.”
The religious leader frequently entered the church hall to fraternize with congregants and guests, inspecting the art offerings, many drawing inspiration from Phoenicia, the ancient civilization that thrived in Lebanon. Depicting contemporary, as well as historic Lebanese figures and practices, the pieces served as metaphors for the church’s mission to mix the new with the old.
Though Lebanese individuals constitute a great portion of his flock, Irish and Italian believers fill the pews, too. Farhat, who grew up in the Roman Catholic, or Latin, faith and added the Maronite and Melkite tenets as he matured, performs Mass in Arabic, English and Syriac.
“Just like with the numerous cultures present today, each tradition has its beauty,” Farhat said, noting he has begun to make connections with local Roman Catholic priests, whom he sees as allies in preaching the joys of communion with one’s neighbors. “Lebanese people admire education inside and outside of the classroom; this weekend is an extended lesson.”
Farhat joined the community in September, taking over for Rev. Michael Marrone, who had replaced the ailing Monsignor Sharbel Lischaa in 2010. The dwindling health of Lischaa, who succumbed to kidney disease Aug. 2, led the parish to suspend the merrymaking, but Farhat believed resumption would enliven the environs. January outreach yielded interested parties from his 150 families, who chose to continue with the established third weekend in June dates. Securing entertainment options and art and food providers proved easy, upping his confidence for his premier gala.
“Last night was fantastic and this afternoon looks as if it will be successful, too,” Farhat said Saturday while observing children shooting basketballs and throwing darts to win prizes. “Tonight and Sunday night, we will be packed.”
As St. Maron’s eighth pastor, Lischaa, like his successor, honed a belief in preserving Lebanese identity while welcoming chances to integrate it into larger realms. The beloved holy man dreamt of a facility where older community members could live, Farhat said, and that vision inched more closely to reality with the March 29 groundbreaking for St. Maron Community Development Corp.’s Cedars Village, a 64-unit residence that will open at 921-31 Ellsworth St. next year.
“The seniors teach everyone that each day offers a chance for appreciating our surroundings,” Farhat said, adding his pleasure over the inclusion of cedar, the national emblem and the centerpiece of the Lebanese flag, in the facility’s title.
True to Farhat’s promise, Sunday’s evening crowd made the entire block a display of curiosity, expectation and fulfillment. The impending opening of Cedars Village, with the corporation as a separate entity, and the sharing of stories among older generations prove that adults will continue to find comfort with the community, but the night seemed to belong to youngsters.
“I eat hummus all the time, falafel, too,” 3-year-old Milicent Gordon said while her father Peter Gordon supped on spinach pie.
The Northeast Philly inhabitants moved closer to the stage as 6 p.m. neared, eager to inspect the execution of the dabke, an Arab folk dance.
“I used to come to the festival and wanted my daughter to see the dance,” Peter Gordon said.
Donning hip scarves adorned with coins, six girls under the direction of twin sisters Sylvia and Guovanna Shoukri made use of two months’ preparation by thrilling the audience for five minutes. Their fourth weekend performance resonated with the onlookers, as their feet responded with ease and grace to a crisp drum beat.
“Parents wanted their children to learn,” Sylvia Shoukri, of the 2400 block of Wolf Street, said. “Events usually have dances, so we really wanted for these girls to enjoy themselves and situate themselves more fully within Lebanese ways of life.”
Each girl raved about the opportunity, with Gael Zernoun, 10, and Debbie Anna Semaan, 9, especially proud.
“I love dancing and the hip work was really fun,” the former, of the 1100 block of Wharton Street, said. “I want to learn more dances and more about the language and the foods.”
For Debbie Anna, of the 1200 block of Alder Street, the weekend had an even more practical purpose.
“I will be going to Lebanon soon, so I had to learn dabke to feel more prepared,” she said.
Guovanna Shoukri enjoyed her preparatory role and the results.
“We hope this is their entry into deeper awareness of Lebanese life,” she said.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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