St Sharbel Makhlouf– 24th July

Joseph Zaroun Maklouf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later.

Following the example of the fifth-century Saint Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875, until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly. He died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified Sharbel in 1965, and canonized him 12 years later.

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St Sharbel Makhiuf – 24th July

“Prayer is the key that opens God’s heart.”

“Suffering borne with love is the key to sanctity.”

“Submit to God’s will, and you will find peace even in pain.”

“Holiness does not consist in great works, but in doing God’s will with love.”

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xibXxKhv_fo

PRAYER TO SAINT CHARBEL MAKHLOUF

Lord, infinitely Holy and Glorified in Your Saints,
You have inspired Charbel, the saint monk,
to lead the perfect life of a hermit.
We thank You for granting him the blessing
and the strength to detach himself from the world
so that the heroism of the monastic virtues of poverty,
obedience, and chastity,
could triumph in his hermitage.
We beseech You to grant us the grace of loving and serving You,
following his example.
Almighty God, Who has manifested
the power of St. Charbel’s intercession
through his countless miracles and favours,
grant us…
(State your intention(s) here…)
through his intercession.
Amen.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf July 24^th

Son of a mule driver. Raised by an uncle who opposed the boy’s youthful piety. The boy’s favorite book was Thomas a Kempis’s The Imitation of Christ. At age 23 he snuck away to join the Baladite monastery of Saint Maron at Annaya where he took the name Charbel in memory of a 2nd century martyr. Professed his solemn vows in 1853. Ordained in 1859, becoming a heiromonk.

He lived as a model monk, but dreamed of living like the ancient desert fathers. Hermit from 1875 until his death 23 years later, living on the bare minimums of everything. Gained a reputation for holiness, and was much sought for counsel and blessing. He had a great personal devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and was known to levitate during his prayers. Briefly paralyzed for unknown reasons just before his death.

Several post-mortem miracles attributed him, including periods in 1927 and 1950 when a bloody “sweat” flowed from his corpse. His tomb has become a place of pilgrimage for Lebanese and non-Lebanese, Christian and non-Christian alike.

Born, 8 May 1828 at Beka-Kafra, Lebanon as Joseph Zaroun Makhlouf

Died, 24 December 1898 at Annaya of natural causes

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf (also spelled Charbel Makhlouf) was a Maronite monk and priest from Lebanon, known for his holiness, ascetic life, and numerous miracles. Below is a concise overview based on available information:

Life and Background

Birth and Early Life: Born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on May 8, 1828, in Bekaa Kafra, Lebanon, a mountain village at a high elevation. He was the fifth child in a poor but devout Christian family. His father, a mule driver, died when Youssef was three, and he was raised by his mother and uncle. From a young age, Youssef was deeply pious, often praying in a grotto with an icon of the Virgin Mary, earning him the nickname “the Saint” among villagers.en.wikipedia.orgfamilyofsaintsharbel.org
Monastic Life: In 1851, at age 23, he joined the Lebanese Maronite Order at the Monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq, taking the name Sharbel after a second-century martyr. He professed his monastic vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience in 1853 at the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya. He studied theology under Saint Nimatullah Kassab Al-Hardini and was ordained a priest in 1859.en.wikipedia.orgmycatholic.life
Hermit Years: From 1875 until his death, Sharbel lived as a hermit at the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul near the Monastery of Saint Maron. His life was marked by strict asceticism, contemplative silence, manual labor, and devotion to the Eucharist. A notable miracle during his life involved a lamp filled with water that burned as if it contained oil, seen as a divine sign approving his hermit vocation.mycatholic.lifecatholicmom.com
Death: Sharbel suffered a stroke on December 16, 1898, while celebrating the Divine Liturgy and died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1898. He was buried at the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya.familyofsaintsharbel.org

Miracles and Legacy

Posthumous Miracles: After his death, light was seen emanating from his tomb, and his body was found incorrupt, exuding sweat and blood for decades, a phenomenon that drew pilgrims. Numerous miracles, including healings of incurable conditions like blindness and paralysis, have been attributed to his intercession, with some sources claiming over 29,000 documented miracles, second only to the Virgin Mary among saints.catholicmom.comdeepertruthcatholics.com
Notable Miracles: Examples include the 1967 healing of Miriam Awad from throat cancer, which was pivotal for his canonization, and the 1993 healing of Nohad El Shami from partial paralysis after a dream where Sharbel appeared to her.familyofsaintsharbel.orgcatholicreadings.org
Canonization: Beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1965 and canonized in 1977, Sharbel is celebrated for his ability to unite Christians, Muslims, and Druze in Lebanon. His feast day is July 24 in the Latin Church and the third Sunday of July in the Maronite Church.en.wikipedia.orgcatholicreadings.org
Patronage and Influence: Known as the “Miracle Monk of Lebanon,” he is the patron saint of Lebanon and those suffering in body and soul. His tomb at the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya attracts millions, including non-Christians, and his intercession is sought globally. A shrine dedicated to him exists in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, New York.saintsharbelnj.orgcatholicmom.com

Cultural and Spiritual Significance

Sharbel is often called the “Padre Pio of the East” due to his mystic life and miracles. His life exemplifies the unity of the Catholic Church’s Eastern and Western traditions, as noted by Pope John Paul II’s metaphor of the Church having “two lungs.”connection.newmanministry.com
His devotion to prayer, simplicity, and the Eucharist continues to inspire, with relics and medals distributed worldwide. Devotees often gather on the 22nd of each month to pray at his shrine in Annaya