LEBANON, 2000, the 125th anniversary of St. Joseph's University, Scott
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Fr. Ambroise Monnot was born in Lyon, France in 1831 and died there in 1898. He was named the superior of the Syrian mission in 1869, and gave it new life by founding St. Joseph's University in Beirut and two residences in Aleppo and Damascus. He also developed the Imprimerie Catholique and launched the daily Al-Bachir. As the provincial superior of the Lyon Province in France (1877-1883) he began the French missions to Egypt and Armenia. He is pictured above on a stamp celebrating the 125th anniversary of the university. Perhaps the Greek inscription in the open book is meant to refer to him in particular; it is from Hesiod and it reads: He is a great man who has attained all knowledge, able to foresee the future and to discern always what is best.