Reading St Charbel's life can be very hard. It is so anonymous. He was a hermit and lived alone. It reminds me of the hidden life of St Therese of Liseaux. But with St Therese we have her bio and the testimony of those in her Carmel. With St Charbel we have the miracles. But these are more than enough. In this way he is a bit like St Philomena. St Charbel reminds me of a spiritual shooting star. Something of a wonderful mystery.
I came across this earlier Im not sure if its true my only take on this is I thought I heard the speaker cough a few times so I dont think we cough in heaven ???.. the story goes St Charbel appeared to some people and they tried to video it, nothing was recorded visually but audio was..the translation I have pasted below. God bless you. God's blessing is happiness and life for you. Only the holy bread can make you rise. My Children, mother Mary is your mom, God chose her to be your mom in heaven and on earth. Following her doesnt bring you loss but success. Jesus is inside you, pray my Children pray. Mother Mary leads you to Jesus her mission is to spread peace and love. If God chose her what are you waiting for? Jesus asked you to look after her and for her to look after you. Keep your faith in her because she trusts her Children. We are with you, dont be surprised my Children. The sky (heaven) doesnt sleep but stays up with you and listens to you. Jesus is your food, wine and bread hes the reason for your survival. Mary is with you her presence is eternal. I love you dont be scared charbel is with you, and wherever my mother is im with her as well. Our heart is full of gods grace and we want this grace to surround you.
thank you for opening this thread, actually the feast day of Saint Charbel is the third Sunday of July , and not a fixed date each year.
LATEST DOCUMENTED MIRACLE OF ST. CHARBEL MAKHLOUF THE WONDER-WORKER MONK OF THE EAST (24 JULY) - known as the PADRE PIO OF LEBANON The latest miracle in Lebanon; An Italian lady from Australia heard of Saint Charbel Makhlouf in Lebanon and decided she wanted to go with her Lebanese friend and son to visit his shrine because she was suffering from cancer. She arrived in Lebanon and went to the church to notice everything was closed. As her and her son walked back to the car a priest was walking past, the lady asked if the church was open and he answered “How can I help you?” she explained has come from Australia suffering from terminal cancer and wished to just receive a blessing from the priest. The priest said to her that he would give her a blessing now. She asked her son to take a picture of her when the priest blesses her simultaneously. She thanked him, got back in the car and left. As they were driving back to the hotel she went through the photos with her Lebanese friend on the phone that her son had taken of her receiving the blessing and suddenly realised, that the priest in the picture is actually St Charbel. It’s a miracle, She got back to Australia went to the hospital and realized after running some test she no longer had cancer. MIRACULOUS PRAYER TO SAINT CHARBEL MAKHLOUF - WONDER-WORKER MONK OF THE EAST (Known as the Padre Pio of Lebanon) Lord, infinitely Holy and Glorified in Your Saints, You have inspired Charbel, the saint monk, to
From the Totus Tuus Fb page today: "From Irreversible Blindness to Sight—A Miracle That Stunned Doctors. Dafne Gutierrez, a mom of four from Phoenix, Arizona, suffered from Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. Despite multiple surgeries, treatments, and visits to specialists, her vision worsened until she became completely blind in both eyes by late 2015. Doctors declared it irreversible—the optic nerve damage was permanent, and there was no medical hope for recovery. She couldn't even see her children's faces anymore. But God had other plans! In January 2016, Dafne visited St. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church where relics of St. Charbel Makhlouf (the Lebanese saint known for countless healings) were present. With deep faith, she prayed before the relics, went to Confession, and was blessed with holy oil by Fr. Wissam Akiki. She begged St. Charbel to intercede—not just for herself, but for her kids. The very next day, her sight began returning... and within 48 hours, her vision was fully restored to 20/20! Multiple doctors and ophthalmologists examined her afterward—reviewing old records and doing new tests. The damaged, atrophied optic discs that had been documented as irreversible? They were suddenly normal and healthy again. Medical experts, including a review committee, said: "We have no medical explanation." This was something unheard of in medical literature—a miraculous healing through the intercession of St. Charbel! Dafne now sees her family clearly and lives to give glory to God. As she says, it's all about faith, prayer, and trusting in the saints! If you're facing something impossible, never lose hope. Pray to St. Charbel—he still works miracles today! Amen. St. Charbel Makhlouf, pray for us!
I see there is another hidden saint who is called the Indian Padre Pio: https://www.aleteia.org/2026/02/26/indian-padre-pio-proclaimed-venerable-by-pope-leo-xiv/ On February 21, the Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV is declaring Servant of God Fr. Theopane (born Michael Koodalloor) "venerable." This means that the Vatican has reviewed his life and has confirmed that Fr. Theopane led a life of heroic virtue. It is the next step in his cause of canonization. Once two miracles can be confirmed through his intercession, he can be first "beatified" and then "canonized." VaticanNews explains how Fr. Theopane is often compared to St. Padre Pio: Widely regarded as one of the most esteemed Capuchin preachers of his time, Theophane was known for his humility and closeness to the poor. Some compared him to Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, especially for the way he welcomed and prayed for those who sought his counsel. His reputation for holiness, already widespread during his lifetime, grew further after his death. Who was Fr. Theopane? Born in Kerala, India in 1913, Fr. Theopane was raised in a Catholic household and was eager to be an altar server once he was old enough. During high school he desired to be a priest and initially joined a seminary to become a diocesesan priest. However, during seminary he felt a call to the Franciscan way of life and entered the Capuchin novitiate in 1933, taking the name of Theopane. After many years of study, he was finally ordained a priest in 1941. During his priesthood he was assigned to a variety of locations, and gave many missions to local parishes in the region. The Dicastery of Saints and Causes provides this summary of his heroic life: The Venerable Servant of God from childhood lived and witnessed a faith exercised with fortitude even in adversity, nourished by prayer and Eucharistic adoration. He was constant in obedience to the will of the Lord in all circumstances, docile to ecclesiastical Authority and Superiors. He had a deep love for his neighbor, devoting himself with special attention to caring for the least and lived intensely the spirit of poverty of Saint Francis of Assisi, welcoming with fraternal charity and generosity all those who approached him, both lay and religious, dispensing them spiritual and material comfort. Fr. Theopane died in 1968 after his health deteriorated, due to a variety of illnesses that he kept to himself and tried to hide from everyone else. He is highly revered in India and his tomb attracts a large number of people every year.
Padraig, Thanks for posting about Fr Theophane, I hadn't heard of him before. Sometimes called the Indian Padre Pio, his picture also reminds me of St. Maximilian Kolbe.
From Totus Tuus Fb page today: "His name is Raymond Nader, and what he experienced at the hermitage of Saint Charbel Makhlouf completely changed his life… On the night of November 9–10, 1994, Raymond Nader, a Lebanese man, went to pray at the hermitage of St. Charbel in Annaya, Mount Lebanon. Carrying his Bible and five candles, he spent hours in deep prayer and meditation in the cold, open air—near the very place where this holy Maronite monk and hermit had lived a life of profound silence, fasting, and union with God. As Raymond was leaving and passing by a statue of St. Charbel, he suddenly felt an intense heat on his upper left arm. Thinking it might be a scratch or sting at first, the heat grew stronger. When he reached his car and rolled up his sleeve under the light, he was stunned: five perfect fingerprints were burned into his skin — complete with every detail, including wrinkles and nails — surrounded by a red glow like fire... yet he felt only warmth, no pain. After the extraordinary experience, Raymond dedicated his life to the service of Christ and, in 1995, founded a prayer group in Annaya called “The Family of Saint Sharbel” with laypeople, priests, monks, and nuns. They met every Friday night for Bible study, the Divine Liturgy, and a Rosary procession to the hermitage of Saint Charbel Makhlouf, meditating on the Word of God. This miraculous handprint appeared as a sign from St. Charbel, renewing itself over time and accompanying several profound spiritual messages Raymond received. It became a tangible reminder that God is real, that the saints intercede powerfully, and that heaven touches earth in our daily lives. ------- St. Charbel Makhlouf — the "Miracle Monk of Lebanon" — continues to point countless souls to Christ through thousands of reported wonders. His life teaches us: true holiness comes from humble prayer, sacrifice, and total surrender to God. St. Charbel, pray for us! May your intercession bring healing, faith, and peace to all who seek God's will."
