Saint Sharbel Makhluf

Early Life:

Sharbel was born in the mountain village of Bqaa Kafra, the highest inhabited village in the Middle East, into a humble Maronite Catholic family. He was deeply spiritual from a young age, often retreating to a nearby grotto to pray, modeling the lives of the saints he admired.

Religious Life:

In 1851, at the age of 23, he left home and joined the Lebanese Maronite Order at the Monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouq, later transferring to the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya. He took the name Sharbel after a 2^nd century martyr and was ordained a priest in 1859.

Hermit Life:

In 1875, Father Sharbel felt called to a life of complete solitude and moved to the nearby Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, where he lived for the next 23 years. He dedicated his life entirely to the Eucharist, prayer, silence, and manual labor.

Death and Miracles:

Sharbel died on Christmas Eve 1898 after suffering a stroke while celebrating the Divine Liturgy. After his death, extraordinary lights were seen around his tomb, and when his body was exhumed, it was found incorrupt and exuding a blood-like fluid. His tomb became a place of pilgrimage, and countless miraculous healings have been attributed to his intercession—across Christian denominations and even among Muslims.

Legacy:

Saint Sharbel is one of the most beloved saints in Lebanon and throughout the Maronite diaspora. He is often referred to as the “Miracle Monk of Lebanon,” and his life is seen as a model of asceticism and mystical union with God. His shrine in Annaya attracts millions of pilgrims from around the world.