St. Sharbel Makhlouf (1828-1898) was born in a small, remote mountain village in northern Lebanon in 1828, and he was baptized in the Maronite Rite, the rite of the Catholic Church based in Lebanon. Young Sharbel had two uncles that were monks in the Maronite Rite and, inspired by them, he also became a monk. Later, in 1859 at the age of 31, he was ordained a priest.
For the next fifteen years, from his ordination in 1859 until 1874, Father Sharbel lived in a monastery with other monks. Then he moved to a hermitage near the monastery where he spent his last twenty-three years as a hermit.
Father Sharbel’s day revolved around daily Mass. He took great care in his preparation for Mass, particularly with his extended reflection and meditation on Sacred Scripture. He celebrated the Mass with deep reverence and respect. Then, after Mass, he offered prayers of thanks and praise for the graces and blessings received.
In addition to his deep devotion to the Eucharist, Father Sharbel had a great love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, and when he is depicted in religious art, he is often shown with an image of Mary near him with the Blessed Mother holding the Christ child in her arms.
In isolation as a hermit, Father Sharbel had to fend off waves of temptations, particularly the attraction of a more comfortable lifestyle with better food, clothes, and furnishings, as well as the constant inclination to put one’s personal desires and preferences first. With prayer and determination, he resisted worldly desires and adhered to a life of simplicity and material detachment. Because of his personal holiness, others were drawn to him, which enabled him to give powerful witness to the value of the Eucharist, prayer, Scripture, Marian devotion, poverty, humility, perseverance, service, and submission to God’s will. Visitors asked Father Sharbel to intercede on their behalf, and a number of remarkable miracles are attributed to him.
Father Sharbel died in 1898, and he was buried in a tomb at the monastery of St. Maron in Annaya, Lebanon. Because he is so deeply revered by Maronite Catholics, the monastery quickly became a pilgrimage destination.
Pope Paul VI both beatified and canonized Father Sharbel. His beatification was on December 5, 1965, during the Second Vatican Council, and his canonization was in 1977. The Maronite Community has named St. Sharbel the Hermit of Lebanon, and Christians everywhere pray through his intercession to make spiritual headway in singular devotion to God.
