The 4th of December marks the celebration of Saint Barbara. In lebanon “maacaroun and Amhiyeh” are two of the mouth watering sweets eaten to celebrate this day. This saint who lived in the 4th century, was the daughter of a heathen; she converted to Christianity, rejecting all suitors proposed by her father. She used to put on a disguise to make herself unattractive and go to the wheat fields to a grotto to get away from the cruelty of her father. It is said that the wheat would grow to hide her as she ran through it. Eventually Saint Barbara was caught and at the moment her father was about to strike off her head, a sudden flash of lightning laid him dead. In the west Saint Barbara is invoked against lightning and is the patron saint of arsenals, artillery and firemen. In Lebanon her commemoration is the opportunity for the children to masquerade and go from door to door in the neighbourhood chanting, dancing and waiting for a little reward, either In Sweets or money. #lebanesefood #lebanesesweets #saintbarbara #4thdec #lebanonmoments #tradition #faith #vegetarianfood #sweets #mylebanon #lebanese_delicious_dishes #cedarsofgod #amoulsrecipes (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXDrNgTMwg-/?utm_medium=tumblr
