Episode 1736: St Charbel

"St. Charbel," a revered saint in the Maronite Catholic Church.

St. Charbel Makhlouf (1828–1898):

St. Charbel was born as Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on May 8, 1828, in the village of Biqa-Kafra, located in the mountainous region of Lebanon. He was the fifth child of Antoun Zaarour Makhlouf and Brigitta Elias al-Shediya.

At the age of 23, Youssef entered the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, Lebanon, where he took the monastic name Charbel in honor of a Christian martyr. He professed his religious vows and was ordained a priest in 1859.

St. Charbel spent the subsequent 23 years in the Monastery of Saint Maron, living a life of deep prayer, meditation, and asceticism. He was known for his humility, obedience, and devotion to the Virgin Mary.

In 1875, Charbel requested permission to live as a hermit, and he was granted permission to do so by his superiors. He spent the remainder of his life in solitude, devoting himself to a life of prayer, penance, and contemplation.

St. Charbel passed away on December 24, 1898. Remarkably, his body was found incorrupt when it was exhumed in 1950, and it continues to be a source of miracles and healing in the Maronite Catholic Church.

St. Charbel was canonized as a saint by Pope Paul VI in 1977. St. Charbel is highly venerated for his life of holiness and his reputation for intercession in matters of healing and miracles.