Saint Charbel Makhlouf
![[Saint Charbel Makhlouf]](saintc47.jpg "12kb jpg holy card of Saint Charbel, artist unknown; please do not write to ask about the image")
- Also known as
- Joseph Zaroun Makhlouf
- Memorial
- 24 December
- Profile
- 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
- Beatified
- 1965 by Pope Paul VI
- Canonized
- 9 October 1977 by Pope Paul VI
- Images
- Gallery of images of Saint Charbel [2 images, 30 kb]
- Additional Information
-
Man of Miracles popup ads
Hermit of Lebanon,
Missa.Org francais
- Translate
-
español | français | deutsch | italiano | português
