ABSTRACT
The Maronites have long enjoyed a unique position in the Middle East. They are the only Christian group in the region to have enjoyed widespread autonomy throughout centuries of Islamic rule. This freedom culminated in the formation of an independent Lebanese state where Christians enjoyed supremacy, including being the only Arab country with a non-Muslim head of state. Although population figures in Lebanon are disputed (mostly due to political sensitivities), it is estimated that the Maronites are now the third largest community (22 per cent), behind the Shiites (30 per cent) and Sunnis (27 per cent). This marks a steady decline from the last known official data (the 1932 census) when 28.7 per cent were Maronite and Christians totalled 51.3 per cent of the population.1 The Maronite community has also enjoyed substantial growth in the diaspora, estimated at 4-5 million.
