NOVENA TO SAINT CHARBEL

ST. CHARBEL NOVENA

DAY ONE

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the piety he practiced throughout his life, beginning when he was a small child at home.

St. Charbel, you grew up in the home of a pious mother. From the time you were very young, you were attracted to the practice of virtue. You were drawn to learning about the lives of the saints, and you strove to imitate their piety.

Pray that I may practice piety as you did!

The foundation of holiness that your mother helped you to develop stayed with you throughout your life. You continued on the path of virtue throughout your life as a monk and a priest.

Pray for me, that I may remain firm in virtue and holiness my whole life, as you did.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY TWO

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the holiness he showed in responding generously to Your call to serve You as a monk and a priest.

St. Charbel, you were exposed to examples of holiness from a young age. Along with the piety of your mother, the examples of your uncles helped to form you in holiness. You saw your uncles following God’s call and you desired to serve God similarly.

Pray that I may be inspired by holy examples around me!

You did not hesitate to leave behind your home and worldly possessions to serve God in the monastic life. You served God faithfully in your religious vocation the rest of your life.

Pray for me, that I may respond generously to whatever God may call me to in my life.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY THREE

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to Our Lady that he showed from the time he was a young boy.

St. Charbel, you were drawn to the example of the saints from the time you were young. You had a particular devotion to Our Blessed Mother and you made a shrine to her. You prayed often at this shrine while you were tending your family’s sheep.

Pray that I may have a devotion to Our Lady like yours!

You must have known what a great help Mary can be to us in our greatest needs. You must have turned to her often as you grew in holiness.

Pray for me, that I may turn to Our Blessed Mother often in my needs.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY FOUR

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the holiness he showed in choosing a life of monasticism and in living out his vocation to monastic life faithfully.

St. Charbel, you grew up witnessing the holy example of your two hermit uncles. You decided to follow their holy example, and you entered the monastic life as well.

Pray that I may respond to holy inspiration in my own life!

As a monk, you lived ascetically for many years. You almost never left your hermitage, and you sought to imitate the saintly hermits who lived before you. You renounced worldly possessions and society, choosing instead to serve God alone in a life of monasticism.

Pray for me, that I may carry out my vocation as faithfully as you did.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY FIVE

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the holiness he showed in following Your call to become a priest and in living out his vocation faithfully.

St. Charbel, you chose to serve God in a unique way. Not only did you become a hermit and live out the monastic life of constant prayer and solitude. You also answered His call to become a priest as well.

Pray for the holiness and faithfulness of all priests!

You remained faithful to your priestly vocation your entire life. When you died from a stroke at age seventy, you were in the midst of celebrating Mass. You carried out the duties of your vocation to the end of your life.

Pray for me, that I may respond faithfully and generously to God’s call in my life.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY SIX

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the holiness and devotion to You that he lived out his entire life, up until he died from a stroke while offering Mass.

St. Charbel, you remained faithful and pious your entire life. You chose a life of self-denial as a monk and spent most of your days in solitude. Your life as a hermit was full of virtue and piety.

Pray that I may persevere in holiness throughout my whole life!

You were carrying out the duties of your vocation even up until the moment of your death. When you died of a stroke, you were in the midst of offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Pray for me, that I may dutifully carry out the duties of my state in life until my death.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY SEVEN

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the holiness he showed throughout his lifetime and the devotion he inspired in others after his death.

St. Charbel, you lived out your life as a monk and a priest with faithfulness and devotion. After your death, many recognized that the holiness of your life had been extraordinary. And many turned to you for help and inspiration.

Pray that I may be inspired by the holy examples of others!

After your death, your intercession helped bring about many miracles. Your body was incorrupt for many years, and people sought your intercession for healing or spiritual graces. These miracles inspired many people throughout your country to return to the Faith.

Pray for me, that I may never miss the opportunity to bring others back to Christ.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY EIGHT

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the holy example he lived throughout his life that continued to inspire others even after his death.

St. Charbel, you practiced great virtue and holiness throughout your life as a monk and a priest. After your death, others turned to your example for inspiration, and many sought your intercession for their needs.

Please intercede for all who turn to you, and ask God to assist them in their needs!

The graces and miracles you helped bring about through your intercession after your death inspired many. In your home country of Lebanon and elsewhere, your intercession contributed to a rekindling of the Faith.

Pray for me, that I may live a virtuous life and be a holy example to others.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

DAY NINE

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Charbel as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate his virtuous example that led many to turn to him for inspiration and intercession after his death.

St. Charbel, after your death, many recognized that you had lived a saintly life. Many turned to you for intercession, and your prayers brought about many miracles. You assisted in bringing about numerous spiritual graces and healings.

Pray for all who are in need of healing!

The healings and graces brought about through your intercession were so numerous and noteworthy that the faith of many people was rekindled. You even brought about the healing of a woman who was paralyzed, so that others would return to the Faith.

Pray for me, that I may always seek to inspire others to holiness.

Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).

St. Charbel, pray for us!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

The Mysterious Light That Led Thousands to a Saint's Tomb

He lived as a humble hermit.

He spent his life in prayer and silence.

After his death, a mysterious light shone over his grave.

And the Church now calls him St. Charbel Makhlouf.

Born in 1828 in the mountains of Lebanon, Charbel entered the Maronite Order and later became a hermit, dedicating the rest of his life to prayer, fasting, manual labor, and deep devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

He sought no fame.

He desired only holiness.

On December 24, 1898, while celebrating the Holy Mass, Father Charbel suffered a stroke.

He died peacefully that evening.

He was buried the next day in the monastery cemetery at Annaya, Lebanon.

Then something extraordinary happened.

Beginning on the night of his burial, a brilliant, mysterious light was repeatedly seen shining above his grave.

The phenomenon continued for 45 consecutive nights, attracting villagers, pilgrims, and even skeptics who came to witness it.

The reports became so widespread that Church authorities ordered his tomb to be opened.

When they did, they found something astonishing.

Although he had been buried in a damp grave, his body was found remarkably preserved, showing no normal signs of decomposition. It was also observed to exude an unusual fluid, a phenomenon that continued for many years and was carefully documented by Church authorities.

These extraordinary events led to further investigations and increased devotion to Father Charbel throughout Lebanon and beyond.

Over the decades, countless people have reported healings after seeking his intercession, many of which have been carefully examined by the Church.

In 1965, Pope St. Paul VI beatified him.

In 1977, he canonized him as St. Charbel Makhlouf, presenting him to the world as a model of prayer, humility, and complete union with God.

Today, pilgrims from every continent travel to his tomb in Annaya, where many continue to pray for healing and spiritual renewal.

St. Charbel reminds us that God often glorifies those who seek no earthly glory.

He lived hidden from the world.

Yet after his death, God allowed extraordinary signs to point people toward Christ.

His greatest miracle was not the mysterious light.

It was the holy life that reflected the Light of Christ.

St. Charbel Makhlouf, humble hermit and miracle-working saint, pray for us.