We study the letter which the Monks of St Maroun and other monks wrote to Pope Hormisdas in 517, subsequent to the massacre of about 350 monks by Monophysite s(anti-Chalcedonians). It shows that the Maronite monks were well and truly prominent within 70 years of the foundation of their monastery. It also provides evidence of their acknowledgement of the pre-eminent position of the Pope, and how the Patriarch of Antioch was under the political authority of Constantinople. It also affords some interesting glimpses of the contempoary beliefs about angels.

We go more deeply into the history of the monastery of St Maroun. It is interesting to examine what we can know about it, and how we know. In the end, we see that it must have been founded in 452 as a bulwark teaching the doctrine of the Council of Chalcedon, and destroyed by the year 956.

We examine the evidence of Procopius, and Abu l-Fida, which taken together, show that it was almost certainly on the Orontes River, near Emesa and Hama. But we also examine some of the other ideas floating around, and critique them where appropriate. I forgot to mention that the Monastery of St Maroun is mentioned in the monks' letter to the Pope of 517 - further evidence that the Monastery predates the year 582.

We examine the evidence for St Simeon's relation with the Maronites, and close with a summary of Maronite history so far.

We examine a critique of Theodoret's brief biography of St Maroun, and commence a related enquiry into the life of St Symeon (Simon) the Stylite.

We examine the letter of St John Chrysostom to St Maroun: a short but beautiful letter with its statement: "No distance can weaken the look of love." We also deal with Moosa's assertions that this letter was not addressed to St Maroun, patron of the Maronite Church.

We study what is known of St Maroun, his actions, age at death, and the significance of the similarity of his life, as reported, to that of St Anthony of Egypt.

We study the basic texts about early and medieval Maronite history, and of his life.

We look at Christian Life in Antioch, not least how Scripture was read, i.e. using typology.

We examine what is known of the Divine Liturgy in Antioch at the time when St Maroun is living.