Pope Leo entrusts Lebanon to Saint Charbel\u2019s intercession, prays at his tomb Pope Leo XIV began his second day in Lebanon on Monday with a deeply symbolic pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf, entrusting the country and the wider Middle East to the intercession of the saint whom many Lebanese, Christians and Muslims alike, invoke as the \u201cheavenly physician.\u201d The pope traveled roughly 25 miles (40 kilometers) by car from the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa to the hilltop monastery of St. Maron in Annaya, where thousands of pilgrims come each year seeking healing and consolation. The monastery\u2019s archives record nearly 30,000 miracles attributed to Saint Charbel\u2019s intercession, including many reported by Muslims, a sign, the pope noted, of Charbel\u2019s unique place in Lebanon\u2019s spiritual landscape. Pope Leo prayed in silence at the saint\u2019s tomb before being welcomed by Abbot Hady Mahfouz, Superior General of the Lebanese Maronite Order. He then offered a reflection on Saint Charbel\u2019s enduring message. \u201cWhat does Saint Charbel teach us today?\u201d Pope Leo asked. Despite leaving behind no writings, he said, the hermit of Annaya continues to speak with surprising power. \u201cThe Holy Spirit formed him so that he could teach those who live without God how to pray, those immersed in noise how to be silent.\u201d Charbel also teaches \u201cthose who live ostentatiously how to be modest, and those who seek riches how to be poor.\u201d This message, he added, is addressed to all Christians and \u201creminds us, bishops and ordained ministers, of the evangelical demands of our vocation.\u201d The pope described the saint\u2019s intercession as \u201ca river of mercy,\u201d recalling in particular the monthly pilgrimage held every 22nd of the month in memory of a miracle granted to a woman named Nouhad El Chami, a devotion that still draws thousands. Pope Leo prayed for unity within the Church and for peace in Lebanon and the Levant. \u201cThere is no peace without conversion of hearts,\u201d he warned. As a sign of entrustment, he offered a lit lamp to the monastery, praying that Lebanon \u201cmay always walk in the light of Christ.\u201d He concluded by reciting a prayer in French, asking God, through Saint Charbel\u2019s example, to grant the Lebanese people faith, inner silence, healing of body and soul, and renewed strength in trials. Born Yousef Antoun Makhlouf in 1828 in the remote village of Bkaakafra, Saint Charbel is one of the most beloved saints of the Maronite Church. Known from childhood for his devotion and simplicity, he entered the Lebanese Maronite Order in 1851, was ordained a priest in 1859, and later embraced a life of strict solitude at the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul near Annaya. For 23 years he lived in silence, fasting, and continuous prayer. After his death on Christmas Eve in 1898, reports of extraordinary signs around his tomb, including the incorrupt state of his body, drew global attention. He was beatified in 1965 and canonized in 1977 by Pope Paul VI. Today he is venerated worldwide as a model of humility and a powerful intercessor for the sick. Saint Charbel\u2019s tomb lies within the St. Maron Monastery, perched at 1,200 meters above sea level. Founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order, the site grew significantly after Charbel\u2019s beatification to accommodate the rising number of pilgrims. A larger church dedicated to the saint was inaugurated in 1974. The monks continue to welcome visitors and maintain the grounds, sustaining themselves through agricultural work, a balance of labor and prayer inspired by the saint they guard. Pope Leo\u2019s visit to Annaya, the first by any pontiff, reinforced the central message of his pilgrimage to Lebanon: a call to conversion, hope, and unity rooted in the spiritual heritage of a country longing for peace \u2014 and in the intercession of one of its most beloved saints. Follow all EWTN News coverage of Pope Leo\u2019s First Apostolic Trip here. This article was originally published by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Elias Turk Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article Maintaining the Christian Presence in the Holy Land Pope Leo XIV tells World Meeting on Human Fraternity to welcome migrants, care for poor The EWTN Travel Jubilee App – Your Mobile Guide to Rome & Beyond Vatican Push for Peace in Ukraine: The Church’s Diplomatic and Humanitarian Initiatives Pope Francis’ Trip to Corsica Vatican Transparency: APSA Releases Annual Profit Report for 2022<\/p>\n