Feast of Saint Charbel Mahkluf

IMPORTANT FACTS:

Charbel was very kind and quiet for he was always praying within his heart.He sacrificed the main

thing that people cannot do that is SPEAKING to others.He rarely spoke and when the time he 

spoke was during mass or during his time spent with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Ever since small,he used to take his little herd daily to the grassland because he was 

a Little Shepherd Boy.He would take care of them well and after that,he would go to a grotto 

where he would kneel in front of the Virgin Mary Icon and pray and so this grotto became his altar

and his first hermit which became later a Chapel  for prayers and pilgrimage for Believers.

When he was a teenager,he continued his theological studies in the Monastery of Saint Kouberyanous

& Justina,Kfifan-Batroun,under the care of his teacher Nehemtallah Kassab Elhardiny(Saint),who was 

the ideal for the monks and a living image of the great Sanctified Monks in his private & public life.

His teacher Nehemtallah was a great teacher and taught him deep about the Catholic Faith.That is why

his teacher became a Saint too and was canonized by Pope John Paul II.

Father Charbel lived in St. Maroun’s Monastery-Annaya for a period of 16years.He was obedient to

his superiors, sticking to his monkhood law precisely.He was stern on himself by living strict austerity 

and mortification.He rejected all worldly materials and comfort in this earthly life,to go to serve his Lord 

and the salvation of his soul.

During the year 1875,God inspired Father Charbel to live in hermitage in St. Peter & Paul in spite of
the fact that the superiors usually,do not allow seclusion in the hermit easily.While the father superior
was hesitating, he received a sign from Heaven visualized by the miracle of the lamp.As one night,
Father Charbel asked the servant to fill the lamp with oil,but instead the servant decided to fill
it with water to prank him.When the lamp reached Father Charbel,he still could light the lamp even
it was filled with water rather than oil.The lamp gave light ordinarily.This miracle gave Father Charbel
the chance to start his destiny in being a Hermit to finally go to his desired secluded home.

Jesus making a miracle through Father Charbel's prayers

 and lit the lamp for him even without oil...

After his death spiritual lights radiated from his tomb,this was the reason for which his body was

incorrupted.It was perspiring sweat & blood;was transferred into a special coffin,after the permission 

of the Maronite patriarchate,and he was placed in a new tomb, inside the monastery.At that point 

groups of Pilgrims flocked soliciting his intercession.God blessed many of these by healing them and endowing them by other spiritual blessings.Finally on December 5,1965, Pope Paul VI presided the Beatification of Father Charbel at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council.On 9 October 1977,

Pope Paul VI presided the Canonization of Blessed Charbel.

Saint Charbel is very well known for his rapid prayers for the Conversion of Hardened Sinners due to
his life of sacrifice which was constantly offered up for poor sinners.His prayers are always heard by
God and are immediately transformed in a sinner during his lifetime and after his death.May those
who seek him be transformed by his prayers.

 

Saint Charbel Mahkluf,one who meditates deeply
 for sinners and pleads for God's mercy upon us,
Bring us safely to the Throne of God with your
Humble and Powerful prayers!

Quotes of Saint Charbel:

• " We cannot fight the evil one with his own weapon"
• Without always professing the 3 evangelical counsels publicly,hermits"devote their life to the praise of God and salvation of the world through a stricter separation from the world,the silence of solitude and assiduous prayer and penance".

"The conversions of souls are numerous
 and still more precious
than the cures of bodies.

PRAYER TO SAINT CHARBEL:

Pure and Holy Saint Charbel,ever close to the Heart of Jesus and Mary,pray deeply for us to them.

May we be able to live a life of prayer and may our lives be shield by constant prayers offered up to

Jesus just like how you did during your lifetime.Grant us the spirit of prayer that we may draw closer 

to Jesus daily.Though we struggle to live a life of prayer,we trust that you may gain for us the graces 

necessary to make our prayer life stronger with Jesus.Amen.

Saint Charbel Mahkluf, Lover of Prayer and Meditations,pray for us daily to Jesus and Mary!