A-Sayyida Church and the "House of Mercy" in the lower city of Haifa

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In the lower city of Haifa, at 10 Pal-Yam Street, within a closed and walled compound, lies the rehabilitation institution for released prisoners, "Beit HaChesed," and at its center is the church "A-Sayida" (Our Lady), which belongs to the Melchizedek Greek Catholic Church. 

A Brief History of the Church of Sayyidah

The church building "A-Sayeda" (which means "Our Lady" or Notre-Dame) was built in 1862 on the remains of an older church that existed on this site. The construction of the church in the 19th century was carried out following the growth of the Christian population living in the "Old Haifa" area, which is identified with the Kiryat HaMalaka area of ​​today.

Some say that the building was built at night to prevent its demolition by the Ottoman government, which did not give formal permission for its construction. As is known, Ottoman law stipulated that a building whose roof was completed at night should not be demolished, so the construction was carried out at night. It is generally accepted that the builders used stones taken from the Burj al-Salam fortress built by Dahir al-Omer, the ruler of Haifa, a fortress that stood on the site where the "Garden of Remembrance" is now located.

Incidentally, let us recall that the law of not demolishing a building whose roof is complete was the basis of the Jewish settlement operation "Wall and Tower."

The original church in this place was the first church of the Greek Catholic community and belonged, as mentioned, to the Melchite movement. It was located near "Hamra" Square, the central square of Haifa, an area that was inhabited mostly by a Christian Arab population. In the area, perished churches were built, such as the "Mr. Elias" Church (in Buadi Nisnas) and the "Saint Louis" Church of the Maronite community (in the lower city).

Following the War of Independence, the Arab population abandoned the area and moved mostly to Wadi Nisnas. This process also led to the abandonment of the A-Sayyida Church and its physical condition deteriorating.

The Melchizedek Church: A Blend of East and West

The Melchizedek Church, also known as the Greek Catholic Church, is a unique church that combines elements from both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. It forms a bridge between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and is one of the largest and most important Eastern Catholic churches in the world.

The name "Malchitian" is derived from the Aramaic word "malkha" meaning "king", and in the past referred to the church's loyalty to the Byzantine emperor (king).

Restoration of the A-Sayyida Church

A first attempt to restore the abandoned church was made in the late 60s, but it was cut short, following the departure of Bishop Raya, who initiated the restoration, from his position.

In 1981, restoration efforts were renewed. This time, the restoration was led by Kamil Shehadeh, a member of an Arab-Christian family from Haifa, and his wife Agnes. The restoration work was funded by donations and carried out in part by volunteers.

The church is rectangular in shape and its general orientation is west-east, with the stage facing east. The church hall is built of sandstone in a style reminiscent of a fortress. As mentioned, the accepted belief is that the building stones came from the Burj al-Salaam fortress. The church hall has eight stone columns that support the vaulted ceiling and the dome in its center. The stone walls are bare, with few decorations. In the eastern wall are several niches with icon paintings. 

The hall's space exudes modesty and restraint. The acoustics are excellent and it is utilized for holding concerts on various festive occasions.

The House of Mercy (Illustration by Dr. David Bar On)
The House of Mercy (Illustration by Dr. David Bar On)

The establishment of the "House of Mercy"

The physical restoration of the church was connected to the vision of Kamil Shahada and his wife Agnes On the establishment of an institution for the social rehabilitation of released prisoners. Thus, along with the restoration of the church hall, the complex was expanded and turned into a hostel capable of accommodating and providing services to approximately 20 released prisoners who are candidates for rehabilitation. The rehabilitation institution is called "Beit HaChesed" or in Arabic "Beit al-Na'ma'ah". 

As part of the restoration of the place, a kitchen, a dining room and a wing for the family's living quarters were built. In the courtyard of the complex is another building, the first floor of which houses the offices of the association that manages the institution, and the second floor is a hall used for the association's activities.

A-Sayyida Church (Illustration: Dr. David Bar-On)
A-Sayyida Church (Illustration: Dr. David Bar-On)

Camille and Agnes Shehadeh, a story of giving

Kamil Shehadeh, a member of a Christian Arab family from Haifa, was a special person who contributed greatly to society. As mentioned, he initiated the establishment of the "House of Mercy" in the late 70s and early 80s, together with his wife Agnes, in parallel with his activities to restore and renovate the A-Sayida Church. 

Agnes, born in Switzerland, came to Israel at that time as a volunteer to work at the Sacred Heart Church in Haifa. There, her life intersected with that of Kamil Shehadeh, and they founded the House of Mercy. The institution provided a variety of services, including food, clothing, medical assistance, and emotional support.

After Kamil Shehadeh's death at the age of 46, in 2000, a non-profit organization was established in his name to continue the important activities of the Shehadeh couple. The organization continues to provide assistance to those in need in Haifa and the surrounding area.

Agnes was involved in every aspect of establishing and running Beit HaChesed. She dedicated her time and efforts to caring for people in need, providing a listening ear, emotional support, and meeting the basic needs of everyone who approached her.

A legacy of giving

Kamil Shehadeh received the President's Volunteer Award For establishing the "House of Mercy," where service is provided without distinction of religion, race, or sex. His wife, Agnes Shehadeh, received the title of "City darling" of Haifa in 2001. 

Agnes and Kamil Shehadeh's son, Jamal Shehadeh, in addition to being the Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Israel, continues his parents' legacy and currently manages the "House of Mercy" institution with its diverse activities.

Thanks

My gratitude is hereby extended to Mr. Jamal Shehadeh, who dedicated his time to me and gave me a tour of the church and the House of Mercy, during which he shared with me information about his parents, Kamil and Agni Shehadeh.

Dear readers,
The articles in this section are based on open information published in sources such as Wikipedia and other websites and may include various historical inaccuracies arising from the aforementioned sources.

We invite our readers to suggest buildings as subjects for articles and if interesting stories are found behind them we will be happy to review them in this section.

contact: At watsapBy email

Dr. David Bar On
Dr. David Bar On
Architect and craftsman, graduate of the Technion and member of the Association of Painters and Sculptors in Israel. Draws the historic buildings of Haifa and tells their stories. Participates in exhibitions in Israel and abroad. All paintings can be purchased, details void. 052-4642998. More paintings at facebook.com/dbaronarc Email address: [email protected]

More articles from the same reporter

12 תגובות

  1. We must thank Elias, who is himself the director of the House of Mercy, an amazing person. Who runs the place and takes care of needy families in the city, with food and clothing, Yours faithfully, dear Elias

  2. Thank you for the interesting explanation, truly a very special place, a place of grace.
    But why did you write, "Following the War of Independence, the Arab population abandoned the area and moved to live mostly in Wadi Nisnas."? In fact, most of the Arab population, about seventy thousand, left Haifa without the possibility of returning to their homes, and only about three thousand remained and were required by the Haganah to leave their place of residence and all move to Wadi Nisnas so that it would be easier for the military government to control their movements. In other words, it is not the majority of the Arab population that moved to the wadi because it was no longer here, and it was not a voluntary move either.

    • Thanks for the additional information. Indeed, the wounds of the War of Independence have not yet healed. Have a good week!

  3. "Beit HaChesed" accepted for accommodation tourists whose property had been stolen, young people (not minors) who had been thrown out of their homes, and all kinds of weirdos. Regardless of religion or gender!
    I served as a police investigator for years.
    I've never been refused. "Give them a jump." And you'll always be accepted.
    People of true kindness

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