Incorruptible body of Saint Charbel:

24 July 2019

Saint Charbel was born Yousef on May 8 1828 in a small mountain village of Northern Lebanon. He entered the monastery at the age of 23 and lived a monastic life taking the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. He took the name ‘Charbel’ and was ordained a priest on July 23 1859. After 16 years on his first assignment at the Monastery of St. Maroun, he sought permission of his superiors to retire to the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul. He lived as a hermit for the next 23 years of his life until his death in this monastery.

He spent most of his day in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. He is known to have taken hard penances by sleeping on a slab of stone with a half stump of wood as his pillow. He endured frequent hunger, poverty, physical fatigue and unbearable cold with the courage of a martyr. Through his prayer and penance he hoped to offer a sacrifice for the reconciliation of the whole world to God. During his lifetime, there are several miracles that are attributed to him. But it was after his death that the most remarkable event occurred. He died on Christmas Eve in 1898 following a stroke. As was the monastic custom then, the body was not embalmed, was dressed in full habit of the Order and consigned to the grave without a coffin.

After he was buried, a great light started emanating from the grave. The mysterious light could be seen from a great distance and continued for 45 days after his death. When the grave was opened in the presence of the Superiors and other monks of the Order, it was found to be in perfect condition. Though the body was found floating in rain water that had entered the grave, it did not have any signs of deterioration. The body was cleaned, clothed in a fresh habit and placed in a wooden coffin in a corner of the private chapel of the monastery.

Soon it was observed that a liquid mixture of blood and water emanated from the pores of the body. The blood soaked clothes were changed often and small pieces were distributed as relics. There were several miracles reported of healing of pain and other sickness through these relics. Later the body was moved into a new coffin covered with zinc in 1927. The coffin was placed on two stones to prevent contact with the dampness of the soil and left undisturbed till 1950 when again a new phenomenon was observed by the pilgrims to the shrine.

Reportedly on February 25 1950, pilgrims noticed a liquid seeping from a corner of the tomb and flowing onto the floor of the oratory. The tomb was opened and strangely the inside was found to be dry and the coffin intact except for the liquid seeping in from the casket. Again, in the presence of all ecclesiastical authorities the coffin was opened and the body was found to be incorrupt, flexible and lifelike!! The sweat of liquid and blood that exuded from the body had stained the garments though.

Pilgrims began flocking to the shrines and innumerable miracles were reported. The monastery began maintaining a record of these miracles from 1950. Two of the cures were acknowledged by Pope Paul VI as the required miracles for the beatification of the Saint. The first miracle was of the healing received by Sr. Maria Abel Kawary S.S.C.C who suffered for 14 years from gastric ulcer which neither surgery nor medication could cure or relieve. After fervent prayers at the tomb of St. Charbel she was instantly cured. The second miracle occurred to Alessandro Obeid who was blinded when the retina of his eye was torn when it was struck by the branch of a tree. His sight was miraculously restored at the tomb and he was given a vision of St. Charbel too.

But the most famous miracle was that which involved a 50 year old seamstress Ms. Mountaha Daher. She was born with a disfigured hunchback which doctors could not cure. She was completely healed during her visit to the tomb. Her regular doctor confirmed the healing and also added that she had other hidden deformities too that were also healed making her a woman of a normal proportionate body.

Thousands of miracles have been reported at the Shrine as well as from people who took the relics and placed them on their bodies for healing. The body of Saint Charbel remained perfectly preserved for many more years. In 1965 by the time he was beatified by Pope Paul VI the body was reduced to bones and the liquid emanating from the body had ceased. He was canonized on October 9, 1977 by Pope Paul VI. His feast is celebrated on July 24.