Lebanon’s only church-bell maker on keeping a 300-year family tradition alive
Naffah Naffah makes the bells in the mountains near Beirut. His sons will take over the foundry when he retires
TL;DR
- The Naffah family has been making church bells in Beit Chabab for 300 years, continuing a tradition started by Youssef Gabriel.
- This workshop is the last remaining church-bell foundry in Lebanon and a sole supplier for much of the Middle East and Lebanese diaspora.
- The process of making a bell takes approximately two months, involving detailed mould creation and metal casting.
- Each bell costs around $8,000 per 100kg, with a tonne bell costing approximately $80,000.
- The Naffah family is committed to passing down the craft, with Naffah Naffah's sons, Charbel and Youssef, set to continue the legacy.
- The family's bells are found throughout Lebanon, with the earliest surviving one dating back to 1725 in Qalaat Sahyoun.