There are 10 reasons why Maronites honor Mary:

1. We honor Mary because Jesus honored her. Jesus said: “For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'Whoever curses father or mother shall die.'” [Mat 15:4] Do you think Jesus broke this commandment?

2. According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary said: All generations shall call me blessed  (Luke 1:48). The Maronites are fulfilling this verse by calling Mary Blessed. 

3. Mary is the mother of all the living. Jesus called her “woman” which means  “the mother of all those who have life in Jesus Christ”. Eve was called woman because she was the mother of all the living. Mary, the New Eve, became the mother of all those saved by Jesus.

4. We honor Mary because without her “Yes” we wouldn’t have Jesus, but we would have remained in darkness.

5. We honor Mary because she is the mother of the Light, the Way, the Truth, the Life.

6. Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”[Mat 10:40] We can apply this verse on Mary saying, "Whoever receives [Mary] receives [Jesus], and whoever receives [Jesus] receives the one who sent Him. Whoever receives [Mary] because [she] is [the mother of the King] will receive [the mother of the King's] reward, and whoever receives a righteous [woman] because [she] is righteous will receive a righteous [woman's] reward.[Mat 10:41]

7. Jesus said about himself that there is something greater than Solomon here [Mat 12:42] Read how Solomon treated his own mother:  “Then Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king stood up to meet her and paid her homage. Then he sat down upon his throne, and a throne was provided for the king's mother, who sat at his right.”[1 Ki 2:19] If Solomon, who was an earthly king, treated his mother this way, how would Jesus, the King of kings, have treated his own mother Mary who is the mother of the King? And Jesus is greater than Solomon [Mat 12:42].

8. Mary is the Queen of Heaven:  “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” [Rev 12:1]

9. Finally, the Maronites experienced Mary’s protection in a special way throughout history. When they were isolated in the arid mountains of Lebanon, cut off from the rest of the world, Mary was with them. When they were persecuted for the sake of Faith, Hope, and Love, Mary was there to strengthen and console them. When they were divided, Mary was there to reunite them. When they were oppressed, Mary was there to ease the pain.  When the whole world abandoned the Maronites leaving them at the mercy of their enemies, Mary was there, under the cross of our people and at the moment of our ancestors’ death.

 10. Mary visited our land in Cana & Sidon (Maghdouche). She is called in our litany: "O Cedar of Lebanon, pray for us."