Saint Charbel Makhlouf, born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on 8 May 1828, is one of Lebanon's most venerated saints and an emblematic figure of Christian monasticism. He is famous for his life of prayer, his extreme asceticism and the many miracles attributed to him, both during his lifetime and after his death. His life is an example of total devotion to God, renunciation of the material world and dedication to a contemplative life.
Childhood and religious vocation
Youssef Antoun Makhlouf was born into a modest Maronite family in the village of Bekaa Kafra, located in the mountains of northern Lebanon. His parents, Antoun Makhlouf and Brigitte Chidiac, were deeply religious farmers. His father died when Youssef was just three years old, leaving his mother to bring up their five children alone. Youssef grew up in an atmosphere of piety, surrounded by the love of his mother, who later remarried a pious man, a village sacristan. From an early age, Youssef showed a marked inclination towards prayer and solitude. He spent hours praying and meditating, often withdrawing from the world to devote himself to God.
The village where Youssef grew up was imbued with a strong Christian faith, and the Lebanese mountains, with their austere landscapes, reinforced his attraction to a hermit's life. At the age of 23, in 1851, Youssef left his family and village to enter the monastery of Notre-Dame de Mayfouq, where he became a novice. He took the name Charbel, in honour of a second-century Christian martyr, and began his spiritual formation under the Maronite rule, an order of the Eastern Catholic Church.
After a few years of novitiate, he was transferred to the monastery of Saint-Maron in Annaya, where he took his perpetual vows. Charbel distinguished himself by his rigorous discipline and his desire to live in total austerity. In 1859, he was ordained a priest and continued his monastic life in constant prayer and almost absolute silence.
A life of solitude and prayer
After his ordination, Charbel returned to the monastery of Saint-Maron in Annaya, where he spent several years in a monastic community, dividing his time between prayer, manual work and religious services. However, his desire for a more austere and solitary life led him to request permission to live as a hermit. In 1875, at the age of 47, Charbel finally obtained permission to retire to a hermitage near the Saint-Maron monastery. This small hermitage, called the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, became his home for the rest of his life.
During the last 23 years of his life, Charbel led an extremely ascetic life. He lived in a small, austere cell, slept on a straw mattress, and ate only one frugal meal a day, consisting of vegetables and water. He spent his days in prayer and meditation, devoting himself entirely to God. His daily life was marked by rigorous discipline: he rose before dawn, attended mass, recited the psalms and spent many hours in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.
Despite his solitude, Charbel attracted many visitors, who came to consult him for spiritual advice or to ask for prayers. He quickly became known for his holiness, wisdom and humility. Those who met him were struck by his silence, his unceasing prayer and his profound humility.
Miracles during his lifetime
Charbel was considered a man of God during his lifetime. His reputation for holiness attracted the faithful who came to ask him for prayers for healing, peace or spiritual advice. Although he lived in great humility and simplicity, miracles were attributed to him. It is said that the sick were healed after receiving his blessing or after praying at his side. His intercession is sought by people from all over Lebanon, and even beyond, and he becomes a symbol of hope and healing.
In addition, his prayer life continues to inspire monks and priests in the region. Despite living in extreme poverty, Charbel is known for his generosity towards the poor and the pilgrims who visit the hermitage. His reputation for holiness spread throughout Lebanon and the Eastern Christian world.
Death and posthumous miracles
On 16 December 1898, Charbel suffered a stroke while celebrating Mass. He continued to hold the chalice until the end of mass, despite his paralysis, before losing consciousness. After suffering for eight days, he died on 24 December 1898 at the age of 70. He is buried in the cemetery of the Saint-Maron monastery in Annaya, in a simple and modest tomb.
However, Charbel's death did not put an end to his reputation for holiness. Soon after his death, miraculous phenomena began to occur around his tomb. Monks and pilgrims reported seeing a mysterious light surrounding his tomb for several weeks. Intrigued, the ecclesiastical authorities decided to open his tomb in 1899 and discovered that his body had remained intact, exhaling a pleasant fragrance and oozing a liquid resembling blood. This phenomenon attracted thousands of pilgrims, and many miracles of healing were reported after prayers at his tomb.
Charbel's body continued to attract crowds of worshippers for decades, and his tomb became a major place of pilgrimage in Lebanon. The Catholic Church, after examining the miracles attributed to his intercession, opened an official investigation into his life and virtues.
Beatification and canonisation
In recognition of his holiness and the miracles that occurred after his death, Charbel Makhlouf was beatified by Pope Paul VI on 5 December 1965, at the close of the Second Vatican Council. This beatification marked a historic moment for the Maronite Church, as it was the first time that a Maronite monk had been officially recognised as blessed by the universal Church.
On 9 October 1977, Charbel was canonised by the same Pope Paul VI. In his canonization speech, the Pope declared Saint Charbel to be a "shining example of Eastern monastic life, a model of holiness for the modern world." This canonisation further strengthens devotion to Saint Charbel, not only in Lebanon, but also among Christians throughout the world. He has become a universal figure of prayer and healing, venerated for his humility, faith and intercession.
The cult of Saint Charbel today
Today, Saint Charbel is one of the most venerated saints in the Middle East. His shrine in Annaya attracts thousands of pilgrims every year, who come to pray and ask for graces, including cures. His devotion has spread far beyond the borders of Lebanon, and churches are dedicated to him around the world, particularly in Maronite communities in the diaspora.
Miracles attributed to Saint Charbel continue to be reported, whether miraculous healings, spiritual conversions or inexplicable events. He is often invoked by those suffering from incurable illnesses or seeking spiritual comfort in times of doubt.
Conclusion
St Charbel is a model of devotion and monastic life, embodying the virtues of prayer, humility and renunciation. Through his austere life and total commitment to God, he left an indelible mark on the spiritual history of Lebanon and the Christian world. His life, marked by prayer and sacrifice, continues to inspire millions of faithful throughout the world. His miracles, both during his lifetime and after his death, bear witness to the power of the intercession of those who, like him, dedicate themselves entirely to God in silence and prayer.
