Charbel Makhlouf
A Maronite monk and hermit from Lebanon, known for his life of asceticism and the numerous miracles attributed to his intercession after his death.
- 19th century
- Lebanon
- Feast day July 24
- 1828 – 1898
- Priest
- Monk
- Hermit
Youssef Antoun Makhlouf, better known by his monastic name Charbel, was born on May 8, 1828, in Bkaakafra, northern Lebanon. He entered the Maronite Monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouq in 1851, continuing his formation at Annaya Monastery where he professed his monastic vows in 1853. He was ordained a priest in 1859. His life was marked by rigorous asceticism, profound humility, and intense prayer. In 1875, with the approval of his superiors, he retired to the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, dependent on Annaya Monastery, where he lived as an absolute hermit for 23 years, until his death on December 24, 1898. His reputation for holiness spread during his lifetime, but it was after his death that wonders multiplied, notably the incorruptibility of his body and the exudation of a blood-like fluid, attracting pilgrims from around the world. He was beatified in 1965 and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1977.