Saint Sharbel Maronite Catholic Parish - Mission

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf

The Miracle Monk of Lebanon.

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf, the humble hermit monk of Lebanon whose tomb has become a place of prayer and healing for millions around the world, is widely regarded as one of the most beloved and miraculous saints of modern times. His life of silence, prayer, sacrifice, and Eucharistic devotion continues to draw the faithful to deeper trust in Christ, and Pope Paul VI declared that Saint Sharbel had "enriched the entire Christian people."

Saint Sharbel and the Pope

Pope Leo XIV praying at the tomb of Saint Sharbel.

In a profound sign of Saint Sharbel's universal spiritual impact, Pope Leo XIV chose Lebanon for his first apostolic journey outside the Vatican, where he traveled to the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, knelt in silent prayer before Saint Sharbel's tomb, and became the first Pope in history to visit the resting place of the Miracle Monk of Lebanon.

• The image shows Pope Leo XIV at the Monastery of Saint Maroun-Annaya in Lebanon, where Saint Sharbel's tomb is located.
• The Holy See Press Office records that the Pope prayed silently before the tomb and lit a votive lamp during the December 1, 2025 visit.
• Vatican News described the visit as the first time a Pope visited the tomb of the Lebanese Maronite hermit.

Sources: Vatican News and Holy See Press Office.