About Saint Charbel:
Saint Charbel Makhlouf (also spelled Sharbel Makhlouf or Charbel Malouf in some transliterations) is particularly revered in the Maronite tradition. Born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on May 8, 1828 andOrphaned of his father at age three, he was raised by his mother and uncle, developing a deep devotion to prayer and the Eucharist from a young age. His life became a profound witness to asceticism, miracles, and interfaith unity, drawing pilgrims from Christians, Muslims, and Druze alike.
As a young man, Youssef felt called to religious life, inspired by his maternal uncles, who were hermits. At 23, he left his family to join the Lebanese Maronite Order, beginning his novitiate at the Monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq in 1851. He soon transferred to the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, where he received his religious habit and adopted the name Charbel in honor of a 2nd-century Christian martyr from Antioch. His formation included studies in philosophy and theology at the Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justina in Kfifan, under the guidance of future saint Nimatullah Kassab El-Hardini.Charbel professed his solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience on November 1, 1853. He was ordained a priest on July 23, 1859, in Bkerke, returning to Annaya to live a life of rigorous discipline: manual labor in the fields, strict fasting, and intense contemplation.
In 1875, at age 47, Charbel sought greater solitude and received permission to become a hermit at the nearby Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, under the oversight of Annaya Monastery. For the next 23 years, he embraced extreme asceticism—surviving on meager rations like herbs and bread, enduring harsh winters without fire, and spending hours in silent adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. His superiors noted “supernatural power” in his humility and obedience, and he became known as a wonder-worker, healing the sick and fostering peace among divided communities.
Charbel died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1898, at age 70, reportedly from a stroke while reciting the Maronite prayer of thanksgiving. His final words were, “Father, I have given everything to the monastery, and now I give my soul to Jesus Christ.” He was buried at Annaya on Christmas Day.
Charbel’s tomb quickly became a site of extraordinary phenomena. In 1950, during exhumation for transfer, his body was found incorrupt—flexible, bleeding fresh blood, and exuding a fragrant oil (manna) that continues to flow today. Opened four more times (last in 1955), it remained intact, defying natural decay.
Thousands of miracles have been attributed to his intercession, including healings from cancer, paralysis, and infertility, affecting people of all faiths worldwide. One notable case involved a Muslim woman in Lebanon cured of terminal illness after praying to him.
Beatified by Pope Paul VI on December 5, 1965, Charbel was canonized on October 9, 1977—the first Maronite saint in modern times. The Pope called him “an admirable flower of sanctity blooming on the stem of the ancient monastic traditions of the East.”
His feast day is July 24 in the Latin Rite and the third Sunday in July in the Maronite Rite. Devotees honor him with the Medal of Saint Charbel and novenas focused on surrender to God’s will.
About the Saint Maron-Annaya monastery in Lebanon:
The Monastery of Saint Maron, also called the Cave of the Monks, is an ancient cavern initially developed as a refuge structure by the Romans and later used as a Maronite monastery and carved out of solid rock in the side of a cliff.
Traveling to the Saint Maron-Annaya Monastery in Lebanon:
Pilgrims visit Annaya annually (over 8 million since his canonization), where his hermitage and tomb draw seekers of healing and peace. To travel to the Annaya Monastery in Lebanon, you can take a taxi or a local bus from Beirut to Jbeil (Byblos), and then a local taxi or bus to the monastery in Annaya, which is about 10 miles (17 km) from Jbeil. The monastery is located at an altitude of about 4,000 feet (1200 meters), so a short hike may be involved depending on the specific access road.
Address: Aannaya 5638, Lebanon
Phone: +961 9 760 130