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From its humble beginnings several decades ago, a small group of Maronite Catholics in San Diego has transformed itself into a growing, thriving parish that has made history in the Maronite Catholic Church. To understand Saint Ephrem's Church, an understanding of Maronite history is necessary. Maronite Catholics have been closely associated with Lebanon since the fifth century. Lebanon's connection with Christianity traces to its physical contact with Christ during his early life. "And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid” (Mark 7:24). Mark's gospel then continues with an account of Jesus exorcising a Syrophoenician women's daughter. Thus begins the recorded history of Christianity in Lebanon. Father Nabil Mouannes, Ph.D., Saint Ephrem's Pastor, believes that, since Galilee borders on Lebanon, Jesus probably visited Lebanon more than once.

When discussing Maronite history, he emphasized the need to understand that the Maronites "are a very, very Marian Church. It (Marian devotion) is historical. The Virgin Mary came to Lebanon and she used to wait for Jesus." This was mentioned by Ernest Renan, an agnostic French religious historian and philosopher best known for writing The Life of Jesus (1864). As further evidence of Jesus' and Mary's historical presence in Lebanon, father Mouannes cited a large Marian shrine in southern Lebanon, between Tyre and Sidon, called the Lady of Marian, meaning the lady that waits. "That's why we have built her shrine next to our church in El Cajon.

The Maronite Church is one of five Eastern Catholic Churches which originated from the church of Antioch. The Church of Antioch was founded by the early disciples, taught by St. Paul and Barnabas and served by St. Peter as its first bishop until he went to Rome. Antioch was the Church's second Episcopal see, established after that of Jerusalem. The term Maronite derives from Saint Maroun, who was born around 350. After his ordination he became a hermit near Antioch, now in Turkey. Soon, however, he attracted a large following of disciples who formed a community around him. He is renowned as the monk who sowed the seeds of asceticism in the region, as a miracle worker and healer, the friend of St. John Chrysostom and defender of Catholicism. He died around 410. Shortly after his death his followers relocated to the south and thus the Maronites came to be identified with Lebanon and have since been the dominant Christian body therein. The Maronites are unique among the Eastern Catholic Churches for having no Eastern Orthodox counterpart, since they have always recognized papal primacy and complied with all directives they received from Rome. "The Maronites have survived the storms of invasion, occupation, repression and suppression for over 1600 years, preserving their religion, traditions and state. Through the ages they refused to bow to their occupiers. In due course their Christian neighbours all succumbed to Islam but not Lebanon, holding a Maronite majority well in the 20th century."

In 1992 Fr. Mouannes arrived as Saint Ephrem Mission's first permanent pastor. He had originally hoped to do missionary work in a primitive, unchurched area and start a church from scratch. "To tell you the truth, even if it was in the United States, it was like that, "father Mouannes disclosed about his early experiences in San Diego. He is deeply grateful to Monsignor Fred Florek, pastor of Saint Therese Church, for his hospitality while he established himself in San Diego which required several month.