THE LATIN CHURCH
History 
 
DDD
Lebanon welcomed the most ancient missions in the days of the Crusades. As for the Latin Apostolic Vicariat, it was not created by the Holy See until 1772. Although its jurisdiction covers the territories of Syria and Lebanon, the faithfuls were not numerous. There were a few Italians and many French.
Thanks to the development of the scholar and hospitable institutions to thwart the Protestant missions, the constitution of a Latin community imposed itself. The feminine religious congregations as well the Latin religious served as a setting. The number of faithfuls increased considerably under the French mandate, however, they decreased thereafter. It is currently estimated at 14000 that is approximately 0.9% of the population. The Vicariat consists of 7 secular priests, but the administration of the 9 Latin parishes existing in Lebanon are entrusted to the religious. 

The efficiency of the Latin missionaries, men or women, in the academic, hospitable and social sectors, the Latin church of Lebanon proved to be the most organized and the most influential.
Latin presence in LEBANON 
Statistics
The teaching is divided into: 
18 583 students, in 65 primary schools (7 masculine institutes, 20 feminine)
16 437 students, in 37 complementary schools (4 masculine institutes, 10 feminine), 
71 762 students, in 39 secondary schools (6 masculine institutes, 12 feminine), 
3 540 students, in 15 technical schools (4 masculine religious institutes, 5 feminine). 
There are about 110 322 students in 155 schools (7 masculine institutes and 20 feminine institutes. 
The teaching is equally divided into:
5 340 students at faculties, schools and Institutes at the university
         of Saint Joseph, 
    25 orphanages, 
2 750 orphans and social cases, studenys in 24 houses, of two
         masculine  institutes and 10 feminine institutes 
      9 religious institutes (1 masculine and 8 feminine) which hold 
         11 homes for the youth (2 for boys and 8 for girls and 11
         mixed), 
      8 hospitals, run by 201 nuns from 3 institutes and consists of
         2647 beds, 
    10 hospitals, which employ 69 nuns from 3 institutes and 
         consists of 1247 beds, 
      3 hospices for old men, run by 49 nuns from 2 institutes and
         consists of 879 beds, 
A total of 5 500 beds in 21 establishments run by 319 nuns.
     34 well equipped clinics
       9 parishes, 8 branches in Beirut and 16 in the province. 
       3 secular priests. 
   234 religious distributed amongst 15 institutes (53 houses). 
1 316 nuns distributed amongst 30 institutes (182 houses). 
Moreover, for the masculine communities: 
The catechists, the apostolate parochial, the services for public chapels, chaplaincies of youth movements, movements for adults 
(Legion of Mary, scouts, religious congregations, third-orders, 
focolari: Gen and new Families), retirement centers, for recollection and prayer, oriental studies, research, religious editions and ecumenical activities etc... 
And for the feminine communities: 
The catechists in official schools and villages; clinics; the care of patients and the poor,  the burdened; day nurseries for children, retirement houses,  the youth Marian movements,  focolaris,  a school for the retarded, mental and handicapped,