The story of Saint Charbel: a Maronite monk in the heart of the Lebanese mountains

A child of Lebanon, marked by faith

Born in 1828 in the small village of Bekaa Kafra in northern Lebanon, Youssef Antoun Makhlouf grew up in a deeply religious Maronite Christian family. Orphaned at a very young age, he was brought up by his mother, who passed on to him a simple and robust faith. From an early age, Youssef was drawn to a life of prayer and solitude. He spent hours in a cave not far from his home, transformed into a small hermitage, where he meditated and prayed far from the tumult of the world.

At the age of 23, he left everything to enter the monastery of Notre-Dame de Mayfouq, then the monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, where he took the name Brother Charbel, in homage to a martyr of the ancient Church. He was ordained a priest in 1859.

A life of hermitry and silence

In 1875, Charbel obtained permission to live as a hermit in a small hermitage attached to the monastery of Annaya. He spent the last twenty-three years of his life there in extreme austerity. He almost never left his cell, observed a rigorous fast, and devoted his days to manual work, silent prayer and the celebration of Mass.

This monk with his discreet face became a mystery to those who came across him. His silence speaks to those who seek him out, and his presence becomes a source of peace. His piety, fervour and love for Christ shone through in his every action.

A holy death and countless miracles

Charbel died on the night of 24 December 1898, having celebrated Mass with particular fervour. Very quickly, astonishing phenomena were reported: her body, buried without embalming, remained intact for years, exuding a mysterious liquid. The faithful began to flock to his tomb, asking for his intercession. Unexplained cures were reported, and testimonies poured in from all over Lebanon... and then from all over the world.

The Church officially recognised his sanctity in 1977. Today, Saint Charbel is venerated far beyond Lebanon's borders. His image, often depicted as a monk dressed in black, his eyes lowered, has become a symbol of humility, prayer and miracles.

A bridge between East and West

The figure of Saint Charbel fascinates by its universality. A 19th-century hermit rooted in Eastern tradition, he nevertheless joins the great spiritual figures of the entire Church. Many pilgrims, including non-Christians, go to Annaya today, touched by the power of his witness.

Charbel is also a sign of unity: he shows that holiness knows no boundaries, and that silence can shout louder than a thousand speeches. In a world saturated with noise, he reminds us that simple prayer, daily fidelity and total surrender to God can profoundly transform the world.