ABSTRACT
The origins of the Maronite branch of the Syriac community are discussed together with the specific characteristics that mark out the Maronite community itself. There are summary descriptions of the liturgies, church rites, and musical achievements of the Maronite monasteries over the last few centuries. Also described are the relationship between Maronite and Catholic Churches in the early modern era and the former’s contribution to the introduction of Syriac studies into Western academia.
