St. Charbel

Saint Charbel Makhlouf, born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on May 8, 1828, in the small village of Bekaa Kafra, Lebanon, is one of the most beloved saints of the Maronite Catholic Church and a powerful witness to the mystery of divine grace through silence, sacrifice, and prayer.

From an early age, Charbel was drawn to the spiritual life. He was profoundly influenced by his uncle and the hermits of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya Monastery. In 1851, he entered the Monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouq and later transferred to the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, where he took the religious name Charbel, after a second-century Christian martyr. He was ordained a priest in 1859.

For the next sixteen years, Charbel lived in his monastery with deep humility and obedience. He spent hours daily in the Divine Liturgy, Eucharistic Adoration, and prayer, fully embracing the monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. In 1875, he was granted permission to live as a hermit in the nearby Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, where he would spend the final 23 years of his life in near-complete seclusion.

Charbel lived an ascetic life of intense prayer, manual labor, and strict fasting. His life mirrored the desert fathers—completely surrendered to God. Though hidden from the world, his holiness radiated far beyond his hermitage. He was known for his deep devotion to the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

He died on December 24, 1898, after suffering a stroke while celebrating the Divine Liturgy. Following his death, reports of miracles began immediately. His tomb emitted a bright light, and his incorrupt body exuded a miraculous liquid, attracting pilgrims from all faiths. To this day, countless healings—spiritual and physical—are attributed to his intercession.

Pope Paul VI beatified him in 1965 during the Second Vatican Council and canonized him on October 9, 1977. Saint Charbel is now venerated worldwide, especially in Lebanon, where he remains a symbol of unity, peace, and supernatural grace.

As Catholics, we honor Saint Charbel as a model of contemplative holiness. In an age of noise and distraction, his life reminds us of the power of silence, solitude, and deep communion with God. His intercession continues to inspire conversions, healings, and a renewed desire for sanctity. Saint Charbel, pray for us.