Saint Charbel, the Miracle Monk of Lebanon
A detailed portrait of Charbel Makhlouf (often known as “Saint Charbel, the Miracle Monk of Lebanon”) summarizing his life, spiritual writings (as far as recorded), his legacy and what made him beloved by many.
🌿 Early Life & Calling
- Charbel was born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on 8 May 1828 in the mountain village of Bekaa Kafra in northern Lebanon. A remote high‑altitude village. He was the youngest of five children. (Saint Charbel)
- His childhood was shaped by hardship: his father died when he was very young, leaving his mother to raise the children. Despite the difficulties, his mother was devout and instilled in him piety, prayer, and Christian values. (Saint Charbel)
- From his youth, Youssef (Charbel) felt drawn to solitude, prayer, and the monastic life. As a shepherd-boy, he would lead the family’s herd and often retreat to a grotto near their home, lighting a candle before an icon of the Virgin Mary, praying for hours. That grotto became (in his mind) his first “hermitage.” (Saint Charbel)
🏛️ Path to Monastic Life
- At age 23 (in 1851), he secretly left home and entered the novitiate of the Lebanese Maronite Order (LMO), at the monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouq Monastery in Mount Lebanon. There he took the religious name “Charbel,” after an early martyr saint. (Saint Charbel)
- After his novitiate, he was transferred to the Saint Maron Monastery, Annaya (Annaya, Byblos District) where he took his solemn monastic vows on 1 November 1853. (Saint Charbel)
- From 1853 to 1859 he studied theology and philosophy at the monastery school of Saint Cyprian and Justina Monastery, Kfifan, under formation for the priesthood. His teachers included notable monks such as Nimatullah Kassab, who himself was later canonized. (Saint Charbel)
- On 23 July 1859 he was ordained a priest at the Maronite Patriarchate seat in Bkerke. He returned to Annaya, living as a monk-priest in the monastery. (Wikipedia)
🧘♂️ Hermit Life & Spiritual Asceticism
- In 1875 (at about age 47), Charbel requested (and was granted) permission to live as a hermit. He moved to the hermitage of Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, Annaya, close to the monastery. There he embraced a life of prayer, solitude, fasting, penance, and silence. For the next 23 years, until his death, he lived as a hermit. (Saint Charbel)
- His daily life was marked by extreme austerity: reports say he slept only a few hours on a simple straw mattress with a plank for a pillow, wore a hair shirt, accepted only minimal food (sometimes leftovers), and devoted long hours to the Eucharist … both preparing Mass and thanksgiving. (Catholicism Coffee)
- He was known for humility, silence, modesty: witnesses say he seldom looked at people, keeping his gaze downward : lifting his eyes only to heaven or toward the tabernacle during prayer. (ChurchPOP)
- His spiritual pattern followed traditional Eastern‑Christian monastic ideals: poverty, prayer, obedience, abstinence (committed wholeheartedly). Many compare his ascetic life to that of hermits of early Christianity. (slmedia.org)
✨ Death and “Miracle Monk” Reputation
- Charbel died on 24 December 1898 (Christmas Eve) at the hermitage after suffering a stroke. He was about 70 years old. (Saint Charbel)
- He was buried the next day (25 December) in the cemetery of monks at Saint Maron Monastery in Annaya, following the order’s custom: in a simple grave, without coffin. (Saint Charbel)
- Shortly after his death, monks and villagers reportedly observed a mysterious luminous light near his tomb. This phenomenon contributed to the growing conviction of his sanctity. (georgiabulletin.org)
- Several months later (when the grave was opened) his body was found incorrupt (i.e. not decayed), despite burial conditions and dampness. Moreover, some accounts speak of a fluid (described as “blood and water,” like sweat) exuding from his body. Interpreted as a sign of holiness. (georgiabulletin.org)
- These phenomena helped cement his reputation as a “wonder‑worker.” Over time, thousands of healings and miracles were attributed to his intercession : both in Lebanon and abroad. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
📚 Writings & Spiritual Legacy
- Unlike some mystics or monastic saints, Charbel did not leave a large body of written theological works, treatises, or widely published writings. His legacy is more embodied in his life (his prayer, witness, and ascetic example) rather than in literary output. This is typical for many hermit‑monks whose spirituality is expressed through silence, humility, and lived witness rather than pen and parchment.
- What survives (and continues) is the living tradition of devotion: prayers, novenas, pilgrimages to his tomb, testimonies of healings, conversion stories, and deep personal spiritual experiences among the faithful. (slmedia.org)
- In recent years, organizations and movements (such as the Family of Saint Sharbel USA) have helped spread his story worldwide: producing books (including a recently published graphic novel about his life), sharing testimonies, facilitating prayer groups, and promoting his spirituality across East and West. (aleteia.org)
🌍 Legacy & Global Devotion
- Charbel was beatified on 5 December 1965 and canonized on 9 October 1977 by Pope Paul VI. (Wikipedia)
- His feast day is celebrated on 24 July in the Latin (Roman) calendar; in the Maronite tradition, his feast is observed on the third Sunday of July. (Wikipedia)
- He is honoured as the patron saint of Lebanon. The monastery in Annaya (his tomb) remains a major pilgrimage center. Thousands annually visit the shrine to seek his intercession, pray, and often report healings, conversions, or spiritual consolations. (georgiabulletin.org)
- Charbel is admired not only by Lebanese Christians, but also by many outside Lebanon: his reputation as a healer and spiritual intercessor spread internationally, crossing religious and cultural boundaries (some Muslims historically have also reportedly asked for his intercession, and contextually the devotion cuts across confessional lines in Lebanon). (Mary Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church)
- His life remains a powerful example of what deep prayer, self-sacrifice, solitude, and humble dedication can yield. For many believers, he embodies monastic holiness in the modern world: a bridge between the heritage of Eastern Christian monasticism and contemporary faith. Many consider him a source of hope, healing, and intercession, especially for the sick and the suffering. (Catholicism Coffee)
📝 On “Contemporary” Narratives & Modern Devotion
In fact:
- There is no known contemporary (i.e. 19th‑century) blog or diary from Charbel himself published widely. His monastic and hermit lifestyle (silence, humility, obedience) did not lend itself to self‑promotion or writing.
- What we do have are posthumous biographies, reports by monks and pilgrims, compilations of miracles, testimonies, and modern writings (articles, novenas, devotionals, graphic novels) produced long after his death, drawing on oral tradition and monastery archives. For instance, a new graphic novel published recently aims to make his story accessible to a global audience. (aleteia.org)
- Thus, most personal stories about his life and miracles come from oral tradition, parishioners’ testimonies, and the records of the monastery rather than from the saint himself or a “contemporary blog.”
🙏 What Makes Charbel an Enduring “Miracle Monk”
- A radical model of renunciation: his willingness to abandon comfort, status, and worldly life for poverty, silence, prayer, and solitude.
- The coupling of a humble, ascetic life with extraordinary reputation: his life and subsequent miracles gave hope to many, especially the sick or suffering, across faiths.
- A bridge between traditions: as a Maronite monk, Charbel represents the rich monastic heritage of the Eastern Catholic Churches, offering a spirituality that resonates beyond Lebanon.
- Living legacy: the continuous devotion, pilgrimages, healings, and spiritual consolations attributed to his intercession keep his memory alive — demonstrating how monastic holiness can transcend time, geography and culture.
His miracles
Yes, there are many modern‑era testimonies of miracles and healings attributed to Charbel Makhlouf (often “Saint Charbel”) (from people of many backgrounds, across different countries) and some have been documented or collected by devotees and institutions. Below I share a selection of representative stories and patterns. As always with such testimonies: they reflect persons’ faith, experiences, and interpretations.
✅ Examples of Recent / Modern‑Day Testimonies & Miracles
- Family of Saint Sharbel (USA) — This lay‑movement maintains a list of alleged healings attributed to Saint Charbel from very recent years. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- According to their published “testimonials,” there is a case from 2024 of a person healed from a life‑threatening stomach bleeding during surgery in Poland after invoking Charbel’s intercession. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- Another report from 2024 describes an expatriate in Australia who reportedly was healed from heart cancer after drinking water blessed at Charbel’s tomb. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- There are also testimonies of children born deaf or without oxygen at birth — and allegedly regaining health after prayers, visits to the tomb, or use of blessed oil or water. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- Case of paralysis healed – Nohad El Shami (1993 + frequently retold) — Perhaps the most famous modern miracle attributed to Charbel. In 1993, Nohad — then 55 and mother of 12 — suffered hemiplegia (paralysis of one side). Doctors considered recovery impossible. But after prayers to Charbel, and reportedly after having a dream in which two monks operated on her neck, she awoke healed and able to walk again. The subsequent night she claimed to have “heard” Charbel tell her to visit his hermitage monthly. (ChurchPOP)
- Many followers mark the 22nd of each month as a day of pilgrimage or prayer at Charbel’s hermitage — in honour of this historic testimony. (ChurchPOP)
- Diverse healings including serious illnesses and tumors (2023–2025) — According to the most recent updates visible in the Family of Saint Sharbel’s records, many people claim healing from what were considered serious or life-threatening conditions: cancers, tumors, paralysis, organ failure, blood disorders. For example: one person reportedly avoided brain surgery because a previously diagnosed tumor disappeared; another regained hearing; others recovered from chronic disease or kidney failure. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- A 2025 article likewise mentions that Charbel’s “miracle-working” reputation remains very active, with many new reports of cures, conversions, and spiritual healings even decades after his death. (Catholicism Coffee)
- Miracles across faiths and countries — The testimonies are not limited to Lebanese Christians. Some claimants are from abroad, from different religious backgrounds (Christian, Muslim, etc.), and from many nations. (Saint Charbel)
- For example, there is mention of a Sunni Muslim from Lebanon who allegedly was healed of shoulder paralysis after receiving “Saint Charbel’s oil.” (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- Spiritual & non‑physical graces: conversions, inner healings, reconciliation — Not all testimonies concern physical cures. Some refer to spiritual healing: conversion, renewal of faith, inner peace, relief from despair or addiction, regained hope, or reconciliation with God or others. This aligns with long‑standing devotion narratives about Charbel: he is invoked not only for bodily healing but also for spiritual support. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
📈 How Many Testimonies — and How Are They Documented
- According to the Shrine/Monastery records at Monastery of Saint Maron, Annaya (his tomb in Lebanon), since the mid-20th century they have compiled a registry of over 30,000 – 33,000 healing miracles attributed to Charbel’s intercession. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- These records reportedly include a variety of documentation: letters, medical reports or medical histories, follow-up testimonies, and in some cases, repeated verification by doctors — especially for more serious or medically uncertain healings. (Salt + Light Media)
- The miracles reportedly continue through the present day — not just in Lebanon, but internationally, especially among communities of Lebanese descent or among believers devoted to Charbel worldwide. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
🌐 Why People Across the World Still Seek His Intercession — and What Makes These Testimonies Resonant
- A saint bridging cultures and faiths: Because many testimonies come from Muslims or believers of other faiths, Charbel’s veneration is often seen in Lebanon (and abroad) as a bridge of faith and hope beyond Christian‑Muslim divides. (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- The continuity of tradition: The record‑keeping from the Monastery in Annaya gives a sort of “institutional memory.” This continuity helps maintain the credibility (for believers) of ongoing miracles over generations.
- Medical‑documented healings: For many claimants, the healing was confirmed by doctors or clear medical tests (tumor disappearance, regained mobility or senses, remission of severe illnesses). This appeals especially to people looking for “miracles that defy medicine.” (FAMILY OF ST. SHARBEL USA)
- Holistic healing — physical and spiritual: Many testimonies combine physical healing with spiritual transformation — regained faith, inner peace, relief from suffering — which many find deeply meaningful.
The chaplet of saint Charbel
Let us unite in prayer for Lebanon. For peace in the tormented Middle East
Your lamp burns in my night Oh Lord
