2023-07-24 07:01:00
July 24, 2023 / 12:01 a.m.
San Charbel Makhlouf He was a Lebanese priest, ascetic and religious who belonged to the Maronite Catholic Church – an Eastern Church that dates back to the 5th century, today one of the 24 “sui iuris” Churches (in their own right) that make up the Catholic Church.
He was the first saint from the East to be canonized after many centuries (no member of the Eastern Church had been canonized since the 13th century); He is much loved in the Spanish-speaking world, especially in Mexico.
Maronite monk and priest
Saint Charbel, whose original name was Youssef Antoun (José Antonio) Makhlouf (Majluf), was born in Beqakafra, Lebanon, on May 8, 1828. His father was orphaned at the age of three, so his mother had to take care of him alone. She remarried a Maronite priest – Maronites admit married priests – who became a very positive influence on the saint.
In general, the Makhloufs made up a large family marked by faith – two of Yousef’s uncles were hermit monks, so the saint grew up in a religious environment, surrounded by authentic spirituality.
At the age of twenty-three, he left his mother’s home and entered the monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouq as a candidate, later adopting the name of a famous Syrian martyr: Chárbel.
The young monk made his solemn vows in 1853 and was ordained a priest a few years later, in 1859, by Bishop José al Marid, and was incorporated into the regular clergy under the patriarchate of Paulo I Pedro Masad.
Charbel’s immediate destination would be the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, located in the mountainous heights of Lebanon, at 1,067 m. above sea level.
To better hear the voice of God
Father Chárbel lived in San Marón for 15 years, becoming an exemplary monk, dedicated to prayer, the apostolate and spiritual studies.
Later he discovers the call to life in solitude and becomes a hermit. For this, given his canonical status, he required a special permit. The saint receives the due authorization on February 13, 1875.
From that day until his death in 1898, Saint Charbel was dedicated to asceticism, penance, manual labor, and prayer. This included a regime with the main and intermediate hours of the Liturgy of the hours (7 different moments of the day) -, and, naturally, the daily Mass.
Subscribe to ACI Press
Receive our most important news by email
He only ate once a day and spent most of his time in silence. Whenever it was necessary she would stop her activities to receive the many visitors who came attracted by her reputation for wisdom and holiness. Those people came in search of spiritual advice, a promise of prayer or in search of a miracle – it is known that Saint Chárbel performed miraculous cures.
universal man
Saint Charbel died on December 24, 1898. Pope Saint Paul VI beatified him on December 5, 1965, during the closing of the Second Vatican Council. Years later, Paul VI himself would canonize him (October 9, 1977) in the framework of the celebrations of the World Synod of Bishops.
Devotion to Saint Sharbel has spread inside and outside the borders of Lebanon, even in very distant territories with very different cultures. Proof of this is the particular and strong veneration it enjoys in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. San Charbel has become a very real bridge between East and West, a “bridge” that the Holy Spirit has built.
Link between East and West
The case of the devotion to San Chárbel in Mexico is something really special. This is largely due to the Maronite immigration to that country -beginning in the 19th century- as well as the increase in miracles attributed to the intercession of the Lebanese saint.
The miracles that occurred and that are attributed to the intercession of the saint deserve special mention. Some sources indicate that the Catholic Church has registered and investigated a number that exceeds two tens of thousands. Some of them have even had media impact.
…
If you want to know a little more about Saint Charbel, we recommend this article from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/San_Charbel_Makhlouf.
#San #Charbel #Makhlouf #catholic #shrine