Religion Beirut

beirut 1 of cosmopolitan , religiously diverse cities of lebanon , of middle east. city boasts significant christian , muslim communities. in beirut there 18 recognized religious groups. @ end of civil war copts became recognized confession, bringing total number eighteen. original seventeen included 4 muslim sects: sunni, shi a, alawi, , druze; twelve christian sects: assyrians, syriac, catholics, syriac orthodox, chaldean, maronites, roman catholics, greek catholics, greek orthodox, armenian orthodox, armenian catholics, evangelicals, , smaller christian sects, considered 1 group; , jews (very few remain in lebanon today, children of lebanese jewish parents may register citizens @ lebanese embassies.

family matters such marriage, divorce , inheritance still handled religious authorities representing person s faith (the ottoman millet system). calls civil marriage unanimously rejected religious authorities, civil marriages held in country recognized lebanese civil authorities. until mid-20th century, beirut home jewish community in bab idriss sector of zokak el-blat.

before civil war neighborhoods of beirut heterogeneous, became largely segregated religion since conflict. east beirut has christian population small muslim minority, while west beirut has sunni muslim majority small minorities of christians , druze. since end of civil war, east , west beirut have begun see increase in muslims , christians moving each half. southern suburbs populated largely shia muslims, while eastern , northern suburbs largely christian.

the city home small number of latin rite roman catholics in form of apostolic vicariate archbishop paul dahdah, ocd, apostolic vicar.