"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٦] (٧٣٨/٢١٦)

RELIGION
205
time of the first Ommayad are held by the Shhites to have
been all illegitimate. The Shihtes expect a reincarnation of
their last ‘ Imam ’ to resume the broken line of succession and
they will not recognize any khalif whose title is based on
descent or on inheritance from the ‘Abbasite khalifs.
In Syria both the main division between Moslem and
Christian (or Jew), and the subdivisions of the Moslem and
Christian faiths constitute lines of cleavage that are more
noticeable and influential than racial distinctions. Internal
rivalries and conflicts arise from these and each separate reli
gious association has a kind of tribal or political significance.
The Ottoman Government, willingly or unwillingly, has treated
the various Moslem and Christian communities as in a measure
separate political entities
Christians
Of all the Christian communities of Syria the Maronite
Church perhaps most directly represents the ancient church
of the country as it was before the Arab conquest. Its adhe
rents are also more numerous than those of any other com
munion (? 300,000). Two-thirds of them live in Lebanon and
the remainder in some of the larger towns (Aleppo, Beirut,
Damascus, Tripoli). Since the time of the Crusades they have
been in close relation with the Roman Church and are now in
full communion with it, although their liturgy is distinct and
their clergy may marry. They were definitely recognized by
the Roman Church in 1445 (Council of Florence) and received
their present constitution in 1736. The language of their
liturgy is ancient Syriac.
The name Maronite, according to some, is derived from
Saint Marun, who is said to have died in a.d. 400, 1 according
to others from Marun their first patriarch (a.d. 685-707).
The official title of the head of the Maronite Church is
Patriarch of Antioch and of the whole East. His residence is
1 The Druses and Metawileh, their neighbours, assert that Marun had only-
one eye ; and if any one wishes to raise the ire of a Maronite, all he has to do
is to put his hand over his eye.