Islam and Christianity form the two sides of Beirut Religion. Religion in Beirut has played a significant role in the culture and history of the city. Beirut abounds in religious structures including churches and mosques. During the civil war in Beirut, the city was divided into the Christian dominated East and the Muslim dominated West.
The Two Faces of Beirut Religion: Islam and Christianity
Beirut religion does not refer to any particular religion. The population of Beirut consists of Muslims as well as Christians. Therefore, the city is equally tolerant towards Christianity and Islam. Yet, majority of the people in Beirut are Muslims, especially Shiaites.
The Muslims in Beirut include Sunnis and Shiaites. The branches of Christianity that are followed by the people of Beirut consist of Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Armenian Orthodoxy, Armenian Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Methodism and Protestantism.
Another significant religion of Beirut was Judaism. The
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city, before the civil war, was inhabited by a number of Jews. When the civil war began in 1975, it uprooted the Jews from Beirut. Most of the Jews have left the city and today, only a handful of them can be found in Beirut.
Role of Religion in Beirut
Religion, in Beirut, has always played a crucial role in the city's political and cultural aspects. Its significance reached the zenith during the civil war, when the city was divided into regions based on religion. Eastern part of Beirut came to be inhabited by Christians while the Muslims flocked west Beirut.
Culturally, the significance of Beirut religion emerges in the various religious structures that are found in the city. The churches and mosques represent the different styles of architecture, both Christian and Islamic, which have existed in the city over the various ages.
The present city of Beirut is a single tolerant state that has born out of a religious unification. It is the only city in the entire Middle East (which is dominated by Islam) with such a large population of Christians.
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