St. Sharbel Makhloof was a monk from Lebanon who lived as a hermit at the end of the 19^th century. He was known for his holiness during life, a reputation that spread after his death because of the miracles and supernatural signs attributed to his intercession.

He was born in 1828 high in the Lebanese mountains and grew up tending his family’s flock of sheep. He placed an icon of Mary near the meadow where his sheep pastured and spent his days in prayer.

In 1851, he left his family and entered the monastery, where he began his formation as a monk. In time, he studied for ordination to the priesthood, and later petitioned the monastery to be allowed to live as a hermit, secluded from the monastery community. Permission was granted, and in 1875, Sharbel began living in solitude and silence and prayer, which was his life until he died of a stroke in 1898.

Months after his death and burial, his brother monks noticed a glow around his tomb. When they opened it, they found his body had not decayed and was flexible—it looked as though it was living. A blood-like fluid continually seeped from his body, which defied explanation. His tomb was re-opened 50 years later, and still was found in this condition.

Many miracles have been attributed to St. Sharbel—hundreds—and he seemed to have been an encouragement for the American monk and writer, Thomas Merton. “Sharbel lived as a hermit in Lebanon—he was a Maronite,” Merton wrote. “He died. Everyone forgot about him. Fifty years later, his body was discovered incorrupt and in short time he worked over 600 miracles. He is my new companion. My road has taken a new turning. It seems to me that I have been asleep for 9 years—and before that I was dead.”

At Sharbel’s beatification Mass in 1965, Pope Paul VI said, “May he make us understand, in a world largely fascinated by wealth and comfort, the paramount value of poverty, penance, and asceticism, to liberate the soul in its ascent to God.” He was canonized in 1977.

St. Sharbel, you were the holy monk from Lebanon who worked wonders after your death—pray for us!

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Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Sharbel Makhloof is in the public domain. Last accessed March 20, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.