Rashaya al-Foukhar
Municipality in Nabatieh Governorate
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Rashaya al-Foukhar, (Arabic: راشيا الفخار, romanized: Rāshayā al-Fūkhār) is a municipality in the district of Hasbaya in the Nabatiye Governorate in southern Lebanon. It is located on the western slopes of Mount Hermon at an altitude starting at 750 m with the highest summit being at 1,250 m. The population is Greek Orthodox.
Rashaya al-Foukhar
راشيا الفخار | |
|---|---|
Municipality | |
Rashaya al-Foukhar, in the 1880s:[2] | |
  Rashaya al-Foukhar Location within Lebanon | |
| Coordinates: 33°21′12″N 35°40′02″E | |
| Grid position | 148/157 L |
| Country |  Lebanon |
| Governorate | Nabatieh Governorate |
| District | Hasbaya District |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Dialing code | +961 |
History
In 1838, during the Ottoman era, Eli Smith noted the population of Rashaya al-Foukhar as being "Greek" Christians.[3]
In 1852 Edward Robinson noted: "The village is celebrated for its pottery; for the manufacture of which it is one of the chief seats. There are many large dome-shaped furnaces for burning of ware; and many specimens were standing outside of the houses [..], tall jars, and the like. This pottery is sent around to all the fairs of the country, and far into the Hauran; as also to Hums and Hamah."[4]
In 1875, Victor Guérin found here a town with 700 inhabitants, mostly "Schismatic Greek". He also noted the pottery production, and that there was a small Protestant mission in the place.[5]
In 1990, U.S missionary William Robinson was killed here by masked gunmen.[6]
Demographics
In 2014 Christians made up 97.81% of registered voters in Rashaya al-Foukhar. 49.31% of the voters were Greek Orthodox, 24.95% were Greek Catholics and 12.66% were Maronite Catholics.[7]