Arenas of Charisma: Cult to Abūnā Bshara Abou Mourad and Construction of the Greek Catholic Community in the Lebanese Sectarian Landscape

This article examines the cult surrounding Bshara Abou Mourad, a Greek Catholic priest undergoing the canonization process at the Catholic Church. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Lebanon between 2016 and 2023, the study focuses on key locations associated with the cult, specifically within the municipalities of Joun, Zahle, and Dayr al Qamar. These areas hold significant importance due to their direct ties to Abou Mourad's charismatic life story and their role as centers for the propagation of his cult and devotional practices by both clergy and laity. Defined as "arenas of charisma," these locations are pivotal in shaping the Greek Catholic community and its political and religious competitiveness within Lebanon's multi-confessional sectarian landscape.