Saint Charbel

Youssef Antoun Makhlouf (1828 –1898), a Maronite Monk and Priest from Lebanon’s Baladites, formally known as the Lebanese Maronite Order (Latin: Ordo Libanensis Maronitarum; abbreviated 'OLM'), a Monastic Order among the Levant-based, Catholic Maronite Church, which, from the beginning has been specifically a Monastic Church.

The Order was founded in 1694 in the Monastery of "Mart Moura", Ehden, northern Lebanon, by three Maronite young Monks from Aleppo, Syria, under the patronage of Patriarch Estephan El Douaihy (1670–1704).

The Aleppian Monks' Order resulted from?a split with the Baladites. Pope Clement XIV sanctioned this separation in 1770.

Makhlouf was raised in this pious home. In 1851, he left his family to begin training as a Monk of the Lebanese Maronite Order at the "Monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq". He later transferred to the "Monastery of Saint Maron" in Annaya, in the Byblos district, north of Beirut. Here, he received his habit and took the religious name “Charbel”, after the 2nd-century Christian martyr of Antioch. He made his final religious profession in the Order on November 1, 1853.

As a young Monk Charbel began to prepare himself for ordination by studying philosophy and theology at the "Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justina" in Kfifan, Batroun district. He was ordained six years later, on July 23, 1859, in "Bkerke" (the episcopal see of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch of the Maronite Church in Lebanon), then was sent back to the "Monastery of Saint Maron" in Annaya, where he lived a life of severe asceticism.

In 1875, 'Monk' now 'Priest' Charbel was granted by the Abbot of the Monastery the privilege of living as a hermit at the "Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul", a Chapel under the care of the Monastery. He spent the next 23 years living alone as an anchorite until his death from a stroke on December 24, 1898.

Story has it: "For months after his death, a bright light was seen emanating from his tomb, the superiors opened it, to find his body still intact, with a blood-like liquid flowing from his body. Experts and doctors were unable to give medical explanations for his incorruptibility and flexibility."

(For more read my book "Shrouds of Incorruptibility").

In 1950 and 1952, Monk/Priest Charbel's tomb was opened and his body still had the appearance of a living one. Noteworthy that, in this century his grave had been opened (4) four times, the last time being in 1955, and each time "it was noticed that his bleeding body still had its flexibility as if it was alive”.

'The Catholic Tradition' website (catholictradition.org) says: "Father Joseph Mahfouz, the postulator of the cause, certified that in 1965 the body of Saint Charbel was still preserved intact with no alteration."

On December 5, 1965, Pope Paul VI presided over the beatification of Monk/Priest Charbel at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council. During his life, he obtained a wide reputation for holiness, and for his ability to unite Christians and Muslims. He is venerated as a 'Saint' by the Catholic Church.

He is known among Lebanese Christians as the "Miracle Monk of Lebanon" because of the favors received through his intercession, especially after prayers are said at his tomb at the "Monastery of Saint Maron".

However, in 1976 at the start of the Lebanese Civil War, civil conflict (1975–90), upon an improvised re-opening of the tomb; this time the body found was completely decomposed. Only a skeleton remained! Surprisingly, such finding was totally expunged with no further due!

Saint Charbel was canonized in 1977. He has notched up ～26,000 healing miracles since his death, according to “The Economist”.

On 2 September 2017, Saint Charbel's relics were translated to "Saint Elisabeth Cathedral" in Ko?ice, Slovakia, where, a monthly pilgrimage is held, called "Pú? k sv. ?arbelovi" (Pilgrimage to St. Charbel). The cathedral is the first in Slovakia to receive his official relics from Lebanon, and attracts pilgrims from across the country as well as neighboring Poland, Ukraine and Czech Republic.

In October 28, 2017, a shrine dedicated to Saint Charbel was inaugurated at "Saint Patrick's Catholic Cathedral", in midtown Manhattan, New York City…

Food for thought!