Charbel Makhlouf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintCharbel Makhlouf O.L.M. |
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Portrait of Saint Charbel Makhlouf
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| Priest, Religious and Wonderworker | |
| Born | May 8, 1828 Bekaa Kafra, Mount Lebanon, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | December 24, 1898 (aged 70) Monastery of Saint Maron, Mount Lebanon, Ottoman Empire |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church (especially Maronite Church) |
| Beatified | 5 December 1965, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Paul VI |
| Canonized | 9 October 1977, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Paul VI |
| Major shrine | Monastery of Saint Maron Annaya, Byblos District, Lebanon |
| Feast | 3rd Sunday in July (Maronite Calendar) July 24 (Roman Calendar) |
| Attributes | Religious habit Prayer rope |
| Patronage | Lebanon |
Saint Charbel Makhlouf (born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf) was a Maronite monk and priest from Lebanon. He was born on May 8, 1828, and passed away on December 24, 1898. During his life, he was known for being very holy and for bringing people together, including Christians, Muslims, and Druze.
Many Christians in Lebanon call him the "Miracle Monk of Lebanon." This is because people believe he helps them when they pray to him, especially at his tomb in the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, Lebanon. He was declared "Blessed" in 1965 and then a "Saint" in 1977 by Pope Paul VI. People celebrate Saint Charbel on July 24th in the Latin Church and on the third Sunday of July in the Maronite Church.
Contents
The Life of Saint Charbel
His Early Years
Youssef Antoun Makhlouf was born on May 8, 1828. He was one of five children. His family lived in the mountain village of Bekaa Kafra, which is the highest village in Lebanon. His father, Antoun Zaarour Makhlouf, was a mule driver. He died in August 1831 while working for the Turkish army. This left his mother, Brigitta, to care for their children. She later remarried a man who became the local priest.
Youssef grew up in a very religious home. He was interested in the lives of saints and the quiet life of hermits. Two of his uncles lived as hermits. As a young boy, Youssef looked after his family's small group of cows. He would take them to a nearby cave. Inside the cave, he had placed a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He would spend his day there praying.
Becoming a Monk
In 1851, Youssef left his family to become a monk. He joined the Lebanese Maronite Order at the Monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq. Later, he moved to the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, near Beirut. Here, he put on his monk's clothes and took the name Charbel. This name came from a Christian martyr from the 2nd century. He made his final promises to the Order on November 1, 1853.
As a young monk, Charbel studied philosophy and theology. He prepared to become a priest at the Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justina. One of his teachers was Nimatullah Kassab, who also later became a saint. Charbel became a priest six years later, on July 23, 1859. He was sent back to the Monastery of Saint Maron. There, he lived a very strict and simple life.
Living as a Hermit
In 1875, Charbel was allowed to live as a hermit. He moved to the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul. This was a small chapel connected to the monastery. He lived alone there for the next 23 years. He passed away on December 24, 1898, after having a stroke.
His Passing and Relics
Charbel Makhlouf was buried at the Monastery of Saint Maron on Christmas Day that year. It was said that the weather was very bad when his body was moved.
- "Father Charbel died on the eve of Christmas; the snow was heavy. We transferred him to the monastery on Christmas Day. Before we moved him, the snow was falling rapidly and the clouds were very dark. When we carried him, the clouds disappeared, and the weather cleared."
- – George Emmanuel Abi-Saseen, one of the people who carried his coffin.
A few months after his death, people reported seeing a bright light around his tomb. When the monks opened it, they found his body was still whole. After that, a liquid like blood flowed from his body. Doctors could not explain why his body stayed whole and flexible. In 1950 and 1952, his tomb was opened again. His body still looked like it was alive. A TV recording from 1950 showed his body was still whole, even though the grave was very rusty. The official site says his grave has been opened four times in this century. Each time, his body was still bleeding and flexible. However, in 1976, his body had fully decomposed, and only his skeleton remained.
On September 2, 2017, some of Saint Charbel's relics were moved to Saint Elisabeth Cathedral in Košice, Slovakia. A special pilgrimage is held there every month. This cathedral is the first in Slovakia to receive his official relics from Lebanon. Many people visit from Slovakia and nearby countries like Poland, Ukraine, and Czech Republic.
Honoring Saint Charbel
The process to declare Makhlouf "Blessed" began on April 4, 1929. He was given the title "Servant of God." On December 5, 1965, Pope Paul VI declared him "Blessed." This happened at the end of the Second Vatican Council. The Pope said that Charbel showed the importance of a simple life and prayer. He said Charbel could help people understand the value of being humble and devoted to God.
On October 9, 1977, Pope Paul VI declared Makhlouf a "Saint." Bishop Francis Zayek wrote that Saint Charbel is like a "Cedar of Lebanon" standing in prayer. He is seen as a role model for many Maronite Catholics. People from all Catholic churches connected to Rome honor him.
On October 28, 2017, a special shrine for Makhlouf was opened at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. The Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, and Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan attended the opening. The shrine has a mosaic of Saint Charbel. It also shows symbols of Lebanon, like the cedar tree, and holds a relic of the saint.
Feast Days
People celebrate Saint Charbel on different days:
- The 3rd Sunday in July – This is the main celebration for Maronites.
- July 23 – A main celebration in Lebanon.
- July 24 – A main celebration for many Catholics.
- July 28 – A celebration in Poland.
- December 24 – This day marks the anniversary of his death.
Miracles Attributed to Saint Charbel
Many miracles have been linked to Saint Charbel since his death. The Catholic Church chose several to confirm his beatification and canonization:
- The healing of Sister Mary Abel Kamari.
- The healing of Iskandar Naim Obeid.
- The healing of Rached Salim Zoorob.
- The healing of Mariam Awad.
One of the most famous stories is about Nohad El Shami. She was a 55-year-old woman who was partly paralyzed. She said that on the night of January 22, 1993, she dreamed of two Maronite monks. They stood by her bed. One monk put his hands on her neck and seemed to operate on her. The other held a pillow behind her back. When she woke up, she found two wounds on her neck. She was completely healed and could walk again. She believed Saint Charbel healed her. The next night, she dreamed of Saint Charbel again. He told her: "I did the surgery to let people see and return to faith. I ask you to visit the hermitage on the 22nd of every month, and attend Mass regularly for the rest of your life." Now, people gather on the 22nd of each month to pray and attend Mass at Saint Charbel's hermitage in Annaya.
In 1994, a Lebanese Catholic named Raymond Nader was praying at the hermitage. He had a special experience. He felt like he was in another world and saw a bright, amazing light. As he was leaving, his arm felt hot and itchy near a statue of Saint Charbel. When he rolled up his sleeve, he saw the imprint of five fingers on his arm. It looked like a hand burned into his skin, but he only felt warmth.
A doctor examined the mark and thought it was a third-degree burn. But it did not cause Nader pain. The mark has appeared and faded many times since then. Inspired by this, Nader started a prayer group in 1995 called the Family of Saint Sharbel. They aim to share Saint Charbel's spiritual teachings. Nader says Saint Charbel has appeared to him many more times. Some of the messages he received from the saint have been published.
See also
- List of Catholic saints
- Charbelicaris maronites – a fossil from Lebanon named in honour of Charbel
- Saint Charbel Makhlouf, patron saint archive
