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First: Youssef Anton, in Bkaakafra
1 – A Holy Family
His father is Antoun Zaarour “Abu Hanna"
from Bkaakafra, and his mother Brigitta Elias Yaakoub Al-Shediak from Becharre.
He had two brothers: Hanna and Beshara, and two sisters: Kaoneh and Wardeh, he
was the youngest. The origin name of Fr. Sharbel was Youssef; he changed it when
he entered the Order. His father was a simple farmer like the majority people in
his village; he was living from the cultivation of his properties, while his
mother took care of the house chores. His parents were pious and righteous; they
were interested in raising their children due the true Christian education.
2 - The death of the father during
forced labor
At that time, the army of the prince of
Lebanon Emir Beshir Shehab was making use of the owners of pack animals, to
transfer to Beit Eddin the crops of the prince, including all kinds of grains.
In the harvest season of the year 1832 Anton Zaarour had a
beast for burden, he was working in the region of Mejdlaya (a town between
Zgharta and Tripoli).There, he was restrained for forced labor. He carried on
his donkey a crop from Mejdlaya to Jbeil to be sent after that to Beit Eddin. In
his coming back from Jbeil to Bekaakafra, he reached Gharfine where he got ill
then died and got buried. So on August 8, 1831, Antoun Zaarouz gave up his last
breath in Gharfine located in the region of Jbeil due to forced labor. His widow
took care of the children with the help of his brother Tannous Zaarouz.
3 –
The birth and the Baptism of Sharbel
The House of St Sharbel's maternal grandfather, where he
was born, is still in Khaldiyeh; it was renovated and converted into a church.
They said that Brigitte used to come to Khaldiyeh in winter
with her family and their cattle, to escape the cold and poverty. She helped her
parents during the olive harvest and stayed there for four months. Youssef (St.
Sharbel) was born there in the winter of 1833, after few months of the death of
his father (1). He got baptized in the ancient church of Our Lady of Khaldiheh,
or in the church of Our Lady of Bkaakafra.
(.1-- for
three reasons:
- The mother still young, she gave birth after her second
marriage for two kids: Tannous on September 8, 1834 ... and Noah on July 3,
1837.
- Youssef is the last child, from her first marriage, and
more likely that the mother was pregnant before the death of his father.
- The priest must have with him when he entered the Order, a
certificate attesting to his birth, baptism, and confirmation... So the calendar
of Annaya which recorded that he was 20 years old in 1853 is more logical. )
4-The remarriage of his
mother
Brigitta married Lahoud Georges Ibrahim,
in the month of October, 1833. Then she moved with him, to Shlifa and Btedii
where he owned some lands. Around the year 1850, Lahoud ordained a priest, and
called Fr. Abdel-Ahad. He did not serve in Bkaakafra, but in the region of
Baalbek, and he died on the year 1853.
5 -An orphan under the uncle
guardianship
Youssef lived as an orphan. His uncle
Tannous raised him with his siblings. The children remained in the house after
the remarriage of their mother. Brigitta was overlooking them from time to time.
They looked after each other, under the supervision of their uncle Tannous, and
their distant relatives.
6-The monastery school of St.
Hawshab
Youssef learned to read and write,
according to the custom of those days, by the priests of the village, in the
monastery of St. Hawshab, the village school at that time. He was carrying a
prayer book always in his hands. He had a good character and cared for his
brothers. Youssef grew up with age, knowledge, piety and righteousness. He was a
good example, in word and deed, among the children of his village. He prayed a
lot, and often went to confession and Holy Communion.
7 - Joke among the
disaster
Youssef was smart and intelligent;
sometimes inclined to joke; he had many jokes, of course in the context of
politeness.
It was raining on Monday, October 12, 1842
[2]. Rain was abundant, followed by a
torrent which rushed to Shaghoura in Becharre, close to the "Cedars of
God". He described the scene in a popular poem, and recited it in the village
school, where he was learning to read and write with other friends:
A small flood has started in "Toum Elmezrab"(3)
and then went down to Shaghoura
The Arabs in "Daher El-Qadib" said;
"The relief that comes from God is near"
This is a great opportunity for the wolf;
to attack a sheep or a lamb
The residents of Becharre first said: we could make a visit
This is a cloud that does not last; a passing
cloud;
When it reached Becharre the people got confused
Let's bring our shovels to close the gaps
This torrent raked the valley and left no standing wall
People were screaming and calling, what a wonderful scene!
When it arrived to Hadchit it took the greater fame and glory
The walls collapsed, the largest buildings were demolished
Then it reached Qanoubine , pouring right and pouring left
The residents got troubled, and hid themselves in the dens
In the Valley of Faradice it redoubled its efforts and became
stronger
People carried the image of the Saint and said: deliver us O
Saint
The inhabitants of Bqarqacha, these gazelles, all lost
Sleiman
Youssef Hanna, the crooked teeth, projected in the pit
In the pit he covered it and called his uncle Sarkis
He came to dust off his gown, instead he ripped it down
As for the inhabitants of Bqaakfra their appearance turned
pale
When they decided to move they used boats not beasts
The residents of Hasroun and Bazoun were afraid of the
stream
They said, let's cut branches and shrubs to fill the slots
Then it reached Hadad and Qnat, a farmer-member died
Hanging on a mulberry tree, in the garden of Hantoura
The owners of the mill, "Shahla ", fled in terror;
The miller took it slightly, and then of fear he filled the
pit
The owners of the mill, "Blatt "exclaimed
"Bring us the mud to coat, and clay the cracks.
When it arrived to Joura O God, what a scene!
the largest trees in that grounds, was carried to "AlKura".
At "Tourza" it came with force, all the trees bent,
"O people! What can we do, we have never seen such a scene!"
At Raskifa, the inhabitants, were sick of life
The flood carried away the soil, and opened hundred graves
At Kosba, it grew stronger and became more violent,
It uprooted all the trees with unimaginable force.
In Bsarma, a torrent, of overwhelming pride
Didn’t spare a hand-less jar, or strainer or small jar.
At Kfarquahel (5),
the people were traitors and deserved it
The strongest walls collapsed and left no more traces.
When it arrived to "Dahr ElAain" it raked both sides
They said: "the bad luck strikes us, the sign is clear
enough."
At "Abu Ali" the waves rose, higher and higher
Some people were killed, and others abandoned their houses.
When it reached El-Mina, it raged and roared more
Flowing from right and left, the punishment of God was
visible.
The sea water became muddy; the high tides exceeded any
expectation
If it lasted a little longer, it would spare no boat.
( 2-
The eyewitness ,Salim Khairalah, described the flood: At 3:00pm the river of
"Abu-Ali"overflowed and the water covered the bridge; devastated the iron gate (Bab
Al Hadid), Al-Suwaïqa, the Slaughterhouse, the "Haraj" market, Al-Milaha, and
attacked with rage the Christian quarter. Markets and shops had been swallowed
up; the water reached the ceiling; the houses, by force of the waves, collapsed
on its people ; cattle, horses, donkeys and camels fled away; the sycamore and
poplars trees were uprooted; men, women and children drowned in the markets;
approximately the third of the region, was devastated; the stores were
completely damaged with their contents: furniture, copper items, mattresses,
blankets, supplies, gold and silver; were estimated at 3,000 bags of gold (each
bag 500 pound); damage also in gardens, in windmills and fruit trees surpassed
the 2,000 bags of money. More than 100 women died because of terror ,which was
so weird ! The waters rose, about 6 feet above the bridge. The whole event took
place in half an hour, if God didn't take care of his creatures, more people
would have drowned in the water. But at 4:00pm the River calmed down, the water
was so muddy and dark like the clay, but God had mercy in his people. If the
flood had lasted another quarter of an hour, two-thirds of the region might be
affected, and if this had happened in the night, we would have suffered similar
losses; if God didn't save us, we would have been died with the rest of the
people. To Him be praise in all circumstances, now and forever. Amen. When the
water flowed back , the Basha came with some divers, they collected all the
treasures carried by the 'flood", and he won lot of money.
3-Toum
Al Mezrab and Dahr al Qadib are two peaks of the mountain "Al Makmel" which is
the highest mountain in Lebanon, at an altitude of 3080m
4-
The word is not clear, it means he was at
first mocking from the flood then he collapsed from fear.
5-
At that time, its inhabitants were from the lineage of princes....they
were oppressors and any bride should spend her first night of marriage among
them. )
8-The "Rock of the Saint"
and the cow
He used to plow his father's properties,
isolated himself away from other children of his age, and avoided the frequent
contact with people; seeking solitude and loneliness, not only to pray but also
to avoid unpleasant conversations. He led his cow, which he inherited from his
father, to pasture, while he sat aside in a place called "the rock of Bhaiss", a
rock that resembled to a cave, a property of his family, and a prayer book in
his hand. He visited this place quite often, that the people called it the "Rock
of the Saint." When the cow had eaten enough, he let her rest, saying:" Rest
now, "Zahra" it's my turn and not yours, I want to pray." So he prayed,
even when his cow rested, then again, if the cow got up to eat, he told her:"Do
not start now, wait till I finish my prayer because I cannot talk with you and
God at the same time, God is my priority." There, he spent a long time
absorbed in prayer, and we never heard that he left his cow ruined the property
of others.
9 - "The Saint" and the
cave.
Since his childhood, Sharbel felt a deep
desire for prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He was kneeling in the
church, like a monument, without moving, prayed alone, and went to the grotto
for prayer, the fact that aroused astonishment, and sometimes the scorn of his
peers. This cave is called so far, "the Cave of the Saint." It's located south
of Bkaakafra, and it belonged to his family.
There, he took refuge so often, carried
a handful of incense that was burning before an image of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, where he laid a bouquet of flowers. Because of his great devotion, his
tendency to prayer, his attendance to the mass and the ritual liturgy, and his
distinction by his good behavior; the people in the village called him "the
Saint". At first, to make fun of him, but then, God accomplished their
prediction by making him actually a saint.
10 - Miseries
His step-mother, the wife of his uncle
Tannous who was his guardian, died on 9/9/1839, when Sharbel was six years
old. Also when he was seven, the civil war broke against the Egyptians and
killed at least two people from Bkaakafra, by the soldiers of Ibrahim Basha, in
the summer of 1840. At the age of 14, an outbreak of the contagious cholera
widespread, and at least one person from Bkaakafra died and buried outside the
village on 11/10/1847.
In the ambiance, of these tragedies and natural death,
Youssef wrote a poem describing the fact, especially the dead of young people,
either by murdering or because of illness, and then he reflected on the
eternity:
- Poetry
-
O ye tears! Pour yourselves! The sun of life
declined;
Death struck me and closed my lids; my parents bore
me no more;
They called the priests to funeral and
covered my body with soil;
O sinner! Submerged in the sea,
Thou art a passing shadow in life;
Death came knocking at your door
What was the use of being young!
11 - Weddings: early
marriages
Early marriages were common in the old
society; Sharbel was almost 12 years, when his sister, Kaoneh, got married in
March 19, 1845 at the age of fifteen. In less than two months, his brother Hanna
got married in May 3, 1845, at the age of sixteen, and had a baby girl at the
end of March 1846.
Second: Sharbel the Monk
1 - The two maternal uncles of Saint Sharbel
Fr. Sharbel had two maternal uncles:
Youssef and Antonios, sons of Elias El-Shediac, who had no other children; both
entered the Lebanese Order. The first, took the name of Augustin, the second,
was called Daniel. Fr. Daniel was the youngest, but he was ordained before his
brother. Being the eldest, Augustin remained at his father’s house to serve him
because he was already old and didn't have anybody to take care of him. After
the death of the father, the elder brother followed the youngest; fulfilling two
sacred obligations. Both were virtuous hermits, and thus the proverb came true
with St. Sharbel: "Although the boy changes, he looks like his maternal uncle."
The two monks were born in their village Becharre or in Khaldieh where the
family had spent the winter. Daniel pronounced his vows on 2/29/1838 and was
ordained a priest on 6/20/1841. He lived with St. Sharbel in the monasteries of
Kfifane and Maifouq. He was the spiritual father of St. Al-Hardini
Nehemtallah, while Augustin pronounced his vows on 7/1/1841 and was ordained
on 3/23/1847, he remained on the convent of Kozhaya and then transferred to Our
Lady of Maiifouk convent.
After that, the two brothers were transferred to the convent
of Kozhaya to remain there after 11/2/1874.
Then, Daniel entered the hermitage of Saint Boula-Ghebta that belongs to Kozhaya
convent, before February 8/1875, his brother
Augustin followed him.
Both of them died as hermits; Fr. Augstin the hermit
died, provided with the last rites, he died suffering from dropsy, in the state
of holiness on 11/1/1884. Fr. Daniel the hermit died, already
well advanced in age, provided by the last rites, on March 23, 1895. He was
virtuous, he passed away, saying: " I long to resolve myself, to be with
Christ."
2-On the way to the
priesthood... in the convent of Kozhaya
Sharbel remained in
the village until the age of eighteen; he did not infatuated with entertainment,
nor to hang out with youngsters, rather he sought solitude, isolation and
prayer. He used to go with his brother Hanna, to visit his two uncles. Once Fr.
Daniel went to Bqaakafra and when he wanted to go back to the convent, he asked
Hanna Antoun Zaarour, to allow his brother Youssef to accompany him, Hanna said:
"Uncle, I am afraid that Youssef will never come back and will stay in the
convent, if he goes with you."
Daniel replied: "I hope that he will
enter the Order, there's nothing worth it in this world." Then Youssef
accompanied his uncle to the monastery of Kozhaya.
3-In the monastery of Mayfouq: follow
me: (Mk 2/14)
After eight days from his returning to
Bkaakafra, Youssef entered the Order
accompanied by Fr. Daniel, to the Monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouq, where his
uncle lived at that time. There, Youssef entered the novitiate and called
Sharbel on August 8, 1851. He stayed in his secular clothes for eight days,
after which he put on the monastic custom; which means he had to go deeper in
spirit and neglected the body; knowing that he left his biological parents ,
and surrendered himself to his spiritual parents. (the superior and the
novices’ teacher). During the period of novitiate, he performed his duties
perfectly, and was very pleased by his vocation. He was a model in the
observation of the monastic rules and regulations, and an example in his
obedience to the superiors, and his love for his brethren.
4-The
name of Sharbel
Sharbel is a Syriac
name, a compound of two words; sharb means story or tale, and El means God; the
name of Sharbel therefore means the story or the anecdote of God. This name was
carried by a Syriac martyr who was the Bishop of Edessa (now in Turkey), and was
crucified in 121. Several monks of the Lebanese Maronite Order bore the name of
Sharbel. The remains of St. Sharbel's church are still in Bqoufa, near
Baghlett-Becharre. It's known till today, that part of the territory of
Baghlett-Becharre near Bqoufa, belongs to Al-Shidiac family; the family of
Sharbel's mother. Sharbel may have visited frequently the properties of his
maternal grandfather and became aware of Saint Sharbel, the patron saint of that
church, and would have prayed there.
5 - He didn't
look back (Lk 9/62)
First, his uncle and
guardian, Tannous, followed him, then his mother and after that, his two
brothers, Hanna and Beshara; they all tried to prevent him from entering the
Order and bring him back home, but he refused to return with them. After that,
his mother Brigitta went to Mayfouk, where Sharbel was a novice, accompanied by
her brother-in-law, Tannous Zaarour, she tried again to bring her son back to
the village, watching the exit of the novices who were heading to the fields,
hoping to see her son. When she saw him, she rushed and grabbed him by the
habit, while he was staring at the ground, and she said: "Come home with me." He
took advantage of her distraction, escaped from her and followed his brothers.
About twelve times, she and his uncle Tannous went there to bring him back to
Bqaakafra but they failed. In Mayfouq the people called him a "Holy Spirit"; he
raked behind the laborers, kept his eyes lowered to the ground; he looked at no
one and spoke to no one.
6-Do not grieve for Youssef (Lk
23.28)
When Brigita had despaired from the returning of
her son Youssef to Bqaakafra, she felt a great sadness that the signs appeared
on her face; for she was always thinking of Youssef. Then, after the death of
her daughter, Wardeh, the villagers told her: "Do not grieve for Youssef; God
put you to the test, by the death of your young daughter." Wardeh died, on
November 22, 1851, bearing the last sacraments.
7-Wardeh….the
fervent
She was a very pious
girl addicted to prayer; she prayed with great fervor, knelt upright, raised her
arms and recited the rosary. She was engaged to Tannous Hanna El Khaïssi; and
she had a long rosary in her pocket, so when the villagers saw her praying ,
they told her:"Your rosary is so long, once you get married, do your stepmother
let you recite it?" She replied: "Let me die before walking into her house."
Indeed, her wish was granted, because she died a virgin and betrothed. She kept
saying:"O my Lord, bring the good, and take away the evil, I'd rather die before
I get married if the marriage does not delight you." It was said that her
cousin, Antoun Boutros Zaarour, saw a dove getting out the window of her house
when she died.
When her fiancé came to visit her,
while she was kneeling and praying her arms outstretched, she used to tell her
niece, the daughter of Hanna: "Stand behind me, block between me and my fiancé
by lifting your arms like me, so I can complete my prayers.”
8-A crazy
adventure (Mt 18/8-9)
The Superior General and his councils banned the joint work
between monks and women in the treatment of silkworms, even if this affected the
monasteries incomes. Therefore, it became accustomed in Mayfouq to send the
novices to peel the bars of mulberry branches and pluck them, while women and
girls in the other hand, took care of feeding the worms, in the same house.
It happened that one of those girls, who worked at the convent, noticed
the decency of Fr. Sharbel, which distinguished him from others. Willing to test
him, she threw at him a silkworm from above where she stood, then came down to
pick up the worm and put it in his hand; so he left the monastery at night, and
went to the convent of Saint Maron Annaya which is isolated and far away from
the civilization.
Therefore, we read in the diary of Mayfouq convent, opposite the name
of brother Sharbel the term "defrocked", which means that he left the Order.
But when Sharbel recounted this event to the superior of the convent of St.
Maron Annaya, the latter, had consulted the Superior General about this novice,
then the Superior General granted approval to admit Sharbel, in the convent of
St. Maron Annaya to resume his second year of novitiate.The term "defrocked"
annoyed his brother Hanna, but he knew that the real reason for leaving Mayfouq
was his desire to a complete withdrawal from the world. Fr. Ephrem of Bqaakafra,
one of his fellow villagers, was at that time, in the monastery of Saint Maron
Annaya.
9-You have the words
of eternal life (Jn 6:68)
After this news,
Brigitta hastened to bring him back to Bkaakafra. So, while he was leaving the
monastery of Saint Maron with the novices, to work in the field, she rushed
towards him held him by his habit, insisting to bring him back with her. But
when she found that he was persisted in his vocation, she told him: "Either stay
firm in the Order and become a good priest, or come back home immediately with
me." Sharbel replied: " What you have said, be done."
10-My burden is
light (Mt 11:30)
After the novitiate,
Sharbel made his solemn vows, and wore the angelic hood, handed from the higher
priest of the monastery of Annaya, Fr. Antonios Al-bani, on November 1/1853, at
the age of twenty. At that time, the solemn vows were pronounced only one time,
while celebrating.
11-We will meet again in heaven
(Mk 3: 31-35)
Birgitta went again to visit her son in the convent of Annaya after
his
solemn vows. She requested to see him urgently, but he didn't
confront her, instead he talked some few words with her, from inside while she
stayed outside. She told him: "Thus, you deprive me from seeing you, my son?"
She was astonished and admonished from his behavior. He replied:" If I don't
see you now, we'll meet again in heaven." Sad and moved to tears, the mother
went back home. Sharbel has done so according to the novice policy: do not speak
with non-monks of his family and others. As for the females, the novice should
do his best with the superior, not to force him to meet them , and if he was
obliged to do so, he must strive not to look at their faces and talk briefly
with them; observing the monastic rules, a monk should be away from women even
the relative ones. ( 6)
(6- Qoraali, the founder of the Order of St. Sharbel, explained: It is known
that many of the hermits saddened their parents and relatives because they
didn't allow them to talk with them, to see them, or to spend time together; as
it is well known from the biography of Fr. Simeon the Pillar, and Fr. Benyamin
and his brothers, and many others.)
12 - I give you
rest (Mt 11/28)
He was tightly bound to his oath and his
responsibilities. We couldn’t give him even the slightest criticism, about what
he did in his entire life. His work, his behavior and his appearance were all
phenomenal which imposed respect and reverence. He had never known an air of
lassitude even at the end of his life, quite the contrary; he was growing more
and more in righteousness, devotion and piety. He practiced all the virtues in a
way that surpassed everyone and every monk, constantly and consistently without
any weakness or fragility; promptly and willingly. He had no more thoughts than
to think about God, no more tongue than to praise God, no more voice than to
bless God. He was an example in the observance of the rules and the performance
of his duties, to the point if someone is asked to perform a difficult job, he
replied: “Do you think I am Fr. Sharbel to ask me to do all of these? I cannot
live like Fr. Sharbel or work like him."
When the lay people, saw Fr. Sharbel in this state;
constantly kneeling in continuous silence, in uninterrupted prayer and total
devotion during the Mass; doing the hardest job like the least of the servant,
dressing despicably, neglecting the worldly matter, they said: "Congrats to him,
this monk has lived as the past Saints and hermits of whom we’ve read in the
book of martyrology, he strengthened our belief and we blamed ourselves for our
commitment to this perishable world."
13 -Alishaa the hermit ... a spiritual
father for Sharbel
Fr. Alishaa "the Saint", discovered the
Charisma of Sharbel, since he had met him in the novitiate, in the monastery of
Annaya ... Sharbel used to visit Alishaa frequently in his hermitage, and he
took him as his spiritual father, early in his monastic life. After his solemn
vows, it was decided to keep Sharbel in the convent; so he remained three years
in Annaya. Alishaa benefited from the presence of Sharbel near him, and he took
a personal initiative to give him linguistic and theological lessons, on Sundays
and Holidays. After Rome had appointed the monastic authority in 1856, St. Al-Hardini
Nehemtallah assigned as a general counsel. Therefore, Alishaa asked his brother
to send Sharbel to the Monastery of Kfifane to study and become a priest. He saw
in him, in spirit, a Holy priest.
14 - Sharbel...student of St.
Nehemtallah Al-Hardini
His superiors sent him to the
Theological Institute at Saint Cyprien in Kfifane to complete the necessary
studies for the priesthood. At that time, the principal of the Institute was
father Nehemtallah Al-Kafri, a man of goodness and knowledge. In this atmosphere
of learning and sanctity, brother Sharbel found what he was looking for.
He accomplished, by his efforts and diligence the greatest
part of his studies in moral theology, besides the fundamentals of Syriac and
Arabic languages, and a harvest of another good part of the monastic virtues and
of Christian perfection. When Fr. Al-Kafri was absent, Saint Nehemtallah Al-Hardini
replaced him in teaching. Sharbel was one of the best and the most talented
students, smart and diligent, skillful in moral theology, and excellent in his
other theological studies. His superiors and teachers showed full
appreciation when it came to his person; praising his virtues and his monastic
ideal behavior, so that he never had to be admonished or punished. He was a good
model when he prayed, kneeling, on the same spot. There was neither pews in
church, nor kneelers. His kneeling showed his perfect devotion, so that other
students felt a deep respect when they saw him in this position, which led them
to call him a "Saint".
Al-Hardini said: "I have a Holy student, who is brother
Sharbel from Bqaakafra." When he died on12/14/1858, Sharbel was present.
15-A pious
mother
Some women in Bqaakafra worked on spinning "cocoons worm" to weave silk
shirts, between them Brigitta the mother of Fr. Sharbel. If she hears the bell
ring for the vigil Sunday, she would abandon her work to attend the prayer, and
did not return to it, till Monday. Brigitta used to fast every day until noon;
she retained this purpose until the end of her life; refraining from eating meat
by applying a vow that she had promised. She used to go to the convent of the
Carmelite Fathers in Becharre to confess. Once, she told her confessor about her
vow of daily fasting and abstinence from eating meat for life; he allowed her to
fast but forbade her to abstain completely from eating meat saying: "You are
obliged to taste the dish that you prepare with meat for your family, because
you do not make two kinds of food, so you have to eat what you cook, but I
request that you pray the rosary every day, instead of eating greasy food.
16- To serve not to be
served
After the success of Sharbel in his studies, he was ordained
a priest on July 23, 1859, by laying on the hands of Bishop Joseph Al-Marid.
Later his niece, Wardeh, came accompanied by some relatives to congratulate him
and urge him to go to his village to celebrate a Mass there, he replied: "The
monk who entered the convent then go back to his village should repeat his
novitiate." In fact, since his departure from Bqaakafra to the Order, he
never returned there.
17-In the convent of Saint Yaaqoub Al-Hosson
Sharbel was sent to the convent of Saint Yaaqoub Al-Hosson in the town of
Batroun, where he spent a period of time entirely dedicated to the ascetic life,
abstinence and prayer. On 10/30/1859, the monastic community of Bqaakafra,
elected Brother Youhanna of Bkaakafra, as a delegate for the General
Synod. Shortly after few months, Alishaa asked again for Sharbel to come back
to Annaya to develop his talents, watch over him and accompany him.
18 - In the Convent of Annaya
In 1820, the Order built some cells and a chapel (7)
in the place (Al-Hara), where the threshing was located. In 1828, the decision
was taken to build the monastery of Annaya. But actually, the work began, on May
8, 1839 with the establishment of the wells, the cellars and the basement.
(8) On October 20, 1841, the work was completed despite the damage caused
by the army of Ibrahim Basha, the Shiite (9) resistance
and the spread of smallpox disease. Thus, Sharbel was transferred to Annaya by
the obligation of obedience. His name was already in Annaya, in the local
councils for the election of the delegates for the years 1868 1871 1874. Sharbel
also worked with the novices, between the years 1869 and 1874, 1895 and 1898.
([7]
Shipley explained: the monks moved to the house of Annaya where they temporary
lived.
[8]
Fr.Abdulla Al-Khabaz (known by Al-Hajjar) built the church and the basements
completely.
While Father Saba al-Akouri built the rooms on the north
aisle with two rooms on the sea side.
The rest of the rooms on the sea side were built by Fr.
Roukouz Meshemsh with other few small rooms to the south.
[9] 3
monks died from the smallpox disease; Father Emanuel from Kartaba on 11/15/1841;
brother Germanos from Amshit on 12/15/1841; brother Samuel from Tannourine on
01/8/1842;
and the Shiite killed brother Skandar from Tarteg on
09/23/1842. )
19 - Miracle of 1865
In 1865, the locusts invaded the district of Batroun, yet
the government took no action against it. The monks tried in vain to drive them
out, but they did not succeed. Fr. Roukoz Meshmesh, the Superior of the
convent, ordered Fr. Sharbel to bless the water and sprinkle the properties of
the convent, to prevent the locusts from destroying the crops and the trees.
Sharbel walked through the field sprinkled it with holy water; turning to the
locusts, he said: "Blessed are you, eat from what is wild and not what is
edible." Thus, God preserved the crops and the mulberry of the monastery from
the damage caused by the locusts.
Third: Sharbel, the Hermit
1 - The establishment of Sharbel's
hermitage
In 1798, the sons of Abu Ramia Boutros and his brothers from Ehmej,
purchased the land called Al-Mourouj (the meadows) from the family Melhem,
according to a deed of sale, from the dignitary (Sheikh) Hassan Melhem who gave
them the convent of the “Transfiguration”, located on Mount Tabour, which the
Shiites called "the prophet", "Rass". Abu Ramia family, in turn, gave the land
to their brother Youssef, (10)
and helped him, to build the church of St. Peter and Paul, assisted by the
villagers. Youssef abandoned the world, joined the Order of the
Worshippers, and received from the hands of the Patriarch Youhanna Al-Hélou the
monastic habit. Four years later, Daoud joined this Order and was ordained a
priest. In 1814 both entered the Lebanese-Maronite Order and left their
possessions to the Order. From the village of Ehmej, Brother Michael and father
Simon were also with them. In 1828, the monastery of Saints Peter and Paul was
converted into a hermitage.
[10] (He is the one who established the
Order of the Worshippers, before he came to an agreement with the Lebanese
Maronite Order and joined them.)
2 - The description of the
hermitage
The hermitage is located on a hillside, at an altitude of
1378m. It has only one floor down, consisted of two sections, east and west,
each consists of three cells, and their roofs covered with wooden beams .The
ceiling of the church enclosed by a vault structure. The altar next to the
eastern wall is dedicated on the name of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the patron
saints of the hermitage. The ground of the church is paved with tiles from
simple stones. In the west wall is the actual entrance to the hermitage, where
the faithful can enter directly from outside the hermitage to attend the mass.
The corridor which separate the cells from the church, ended in the north with
a hallway opened by an arch. The hermitage is surrounded by a high wall of two
to three meters height, and exposed to storms and thunderbolts. Few hermitages
on such level, on the mountaintops of Lebanon, are inhabited.
3- Its first hermit
The first hermit, from our Order, who entered
this hermitage, was the man of God, Fr. Al-Hardini Alishaa; after obtaining the
permission from the Superior General Fr. Ignatius Bleibel, on November 29, 1829.
At first, he remained at the hermitage of Kozhaya for about a year and a half,
and then he transferred to the hermitage of Saint Maron Annaya. He had a passion
for manual labor: it was he, who paved the hermitage, carrying the plates on his
back from a great distance. It is he, too, who planted the vineyard to the east
of the hermitage, after cutting the trees. He also dug and plowed the soil. God
performed miracles through his intercession.
4 - View of the two masters of Sharbel about the
anchoritic life
Once St. Nehemtallah Al-Hardini came to visit his
brother, the hermit Alishaa, in the monastery of Annaya (1847- 1850). Alishaa
invited him to enter the hermitage to be in peace and tranquility, he said: "It
is more advantageous and more convenient for you to abandon the Convent life,
and live in this hermitage with me, where you'll spend the rest of your life in
stillness and tranquility away from the noise, to pray with a spirit of calm and
serenity. Let us spend our lives together and live in peace.”
Nehemtallah replied:"Those who strive in the community with
people gain the greatest reward and the highest merit. This is where; we must
endure tolerance and patience, break our will and accept the weakness of the
weak.
The spiritual fathers consider the common life as a
perpetual martyrdom, for the monk, cannot do what he pleases, which is suitable
to his temper and his life, rather he must be careful that he does not violate
or offend his brethren. He also must observe his behavior in order to give them
no doubt on him; this is the duty of a monk, dear brother. However, the hermit
lives alone, he is spared from the temptations of the outside, he spends his
time in prayer and in the vineyard, and he lives as he wants, while in the
convent the monk applies to the vow of obedience. In the hermitage there is no
tempter or humiliation while with the community they are always existed. Then,
at the convent, we have to live among our brothers, and endure with patience and
firmness what attacked us from ridiculousness and despicableness. In this way we
increase our recompenses and we expiate for our sins, and live the words of the
Lord: "Those enduring to the end shall be saved."(Matthew 24/13). Also, in the
monastery who practiced the virtue, set a good example to others. So I can say,
each person has his vocation, because everyone is unique; one lives for prayer,
other for life in the community, as for me, this is my vocation, which I have
followed for a long time.”
5- The status of the Order before Sharbel’s entry to the
hermitage
The Parties started in the Order, after the general Synod on 1832, during
which the Maronite Patriarch intervened to appoint the man of God, Fr. Houlaihel
Mubarak as a Superior General, and later, the affiliation to the village
communities started to grow. Despite the minimal observance to the monastic
spirit, this approach to membership in the region had increased. The convents of
Jbeil and the North remained in common between the monks of the two regions,
till the appointment of Fr. Ephrem Geagea as Superior General in 1862.
6 - The policy of the Superior General, Ephrem Geagea
The Superior General Geagea was a supporter of regionalization in the Order...
He proceeded to transfer almost all the monks of the North from the region of
Jbeil. He founded the convent of Saint Semaan Al Qarn and the school of Ban in
the North. He abandoned the siege of superiorship General in Tamiche convent, to
reside mostly in the convent of Kozhaya and of St. Semaan Al Qarn.
7 - The convent of Annaya until the entry of Sharbel
into the Hermitage
The monks of Jbeil, especially those of Meshmesh, took over the
ministries of Annaya convent and began to minimize the hermit Alishaa Al-Hardini,
who was almost a superior in his hermitage and an excellent administrator. The
Maronite Patriarch proposed his name to be a Superior General in 1856 as a
solution to the conflict between the two hostile camps in the Order in that
time, because he was considered one of the most famous monks in knowledge,
virtue and administration. He invested the profits of the hermitage in the
purchase of fifty lots, and other seven properties, between the years 1833 and
1870, in addition of some lands that were sold after his death. After 1870, when
he bought the last land, a fight broke out between him and the Superior of the
convent of Annaya Fr. Roukoz Meshmesh, then the misunderstanding perpetuated to
Fr. Abdel Massih supported by fathers Roukoz and Antoun Meshmesh. They sent a
band to hit brother Abdallah Al-Bani who was serving the hermit Alishaa. As a
result of this accident, the Superior General had to intervene, so the hermit
left the administration of the estate entirely. The monks, however, were eager
to assimilate everything and had sent out Fr. Antoun Meshmesh to take away "the
goats from their shepherd." The hermit then wrote a letter to the Patriarch, in
which he asked, by the name of Christ, to help him.
8- Alishaa asked for Sharbel with the audacity of the
Saints
The membership of the region had sorted the monks of the
Order into five major groups; each consisted of a small team that linked with
the kinship, and particularly, the affiliation to the village
(11) and to personal interests. Fr. Alishaa, “the
"Saint", loved his Order, regretted what was happening, and worked for the
benefit of the convent of Annaya and the Order, that’s why he did not withdraw
to the North to escape persecution but rather, he asked for Fr. Sharbel from the
Superior General, Ephrem Geagea, who respected him for his virtues, his good
management and because he was the brother of the "Saint of Kfifane". Fr. Geagea
granted his request, by keeping Sharbel with him and not transferring him to the
North. Alishaa, also, sent the same request to the superior of the convent, Fr.
Roukoz Meshmesh who at first refused and then, after the miracle of the lamp
that Sharbel performed, in July 1869, he accepted his request. Fr. Sharbel
officially inherited Alishaa, on the eve of his death and his funeral ... so
that, in one day, they could both be two universal and important saints.
[11] (St. Basil said: It’s not fair to
have in the monastery some brothers linked by the agreement of four by four,
three by three, and two by two, because the one who loves a brother more than
the others, he shows that the perfect love is not on him. )
9- Water in the lantern
(Mt 25:1-13)
When Sharbel was at the convent during the triennium of
Fr. Roukoz Meshmesh he worked in the field as one of the lowest servants. One
night, he was watching the goats, and it was harvest time, while in the convent
there was a group of thirty reapers having their dinner, the servants bustled to
serve the tables, the dispenser (12) was
eager to serve the reapers; this was when Fr. Sharbel came and asked, before the
whole crowd to fill his lantern oil. The dispenser scolded him and said, "Why
didn't you come on the day time?" He replied: "I
was in the field." The dispenser replied: "As a
punishment, I will not give you oil for tonight, go away." He obeyed and
returned to his cell. The servant, however, placed a bench transversely to
block his way, so Fr. Sharbel stumbled and fell to the ground, without
complaining. Saba, who was only 13 years, and was a servant in the convent ,went
up to him and asked him for the lantern, pretending that he wants to fill it
with oil , but in reality he poured water into it, from a metal container where
they put the ashes . Fr. Sharbel took the lamp and lit it and it was lit.
Meanwhile, in the absence of Fr. Sharbel, the use of oil had been prohibited; it
was a strict order from the superior, to all the monks not to light their
lanterns after the bell rings for sleep. That night, the superior woke up
because he needed something, as he was leaving, he saw a light and went straight
to see from where it came, it was from the cell of Fr. Sharbel. He told him:
"Didn't you hear the bell? “Why haven't you turned off your lantern? Haven’t
you taken the vow of poverty!?" He immediately knelt down and begged forgiveness
and said: “I came back from the field and tried to
finish my prayer, and I am not aware of this ban." Saba
who was close to the cell said to the Superior: "I really wanted to fill the
lantern of Fr. Sharbel with oil but the dispenser refused; on my return I saw
the metal tube, and I filled the lamp with water .The Superior opened the lamp
and made sure it was water. Then he could not restrain his feelings, went and
told all the brothers in the monastery, and this fact spread in the convent.
After this event, in the morning, the Superior called Fr. Sharbel and said:" If
you want to serve the hermits, I give you permission." Fr. Sharbel replied:"
There is a big difference between my desire and the
Superior orders, I made a vow and I do not work due to my will because my will
doesn't belong to me anymore, but if you order me, I will obey and go."
The Superior replied: "Go". Fr. Sharbel knelt asking his blessing, so he
recited a prayer and blessed him. He rubbed up expressing his gratitude,
hastened and gathered his spiritual and prayer books, his mat and blanket, tied
them up with a cord, put the burden on his back, entered the church to visit the
Blessed Sacrament and walked toward the hermitage.
(12)The dispenser is
the father responsible for the supplies of the convent.
10- Why the hermitage?
Fr. Sharbel felt a strong desire to withdraw from the world,
this impulse was even more apparent after his ordination, because he didn’t
request to be freed from manual labor, that he had performed before his
ordination.
His presence in this convent far from the villages in the
wilderness didn’t happen out of his own request, but by an order from above.
Therefore, he submitted to the same discipline as all the monks, who went to the
field work after the prayer service in choir and meditation, as the ancient
monks did. But since in recent times, it was less common to see monks working in
the field, because the parishes needed its priests. The attendance of Fr.
Sharbel in the convent and in the field was a very rare matter that reflected
his belief in this statement.
His commitment to silence and his preference to avoid, not
only people but also his fellow monks, and his passion for absolute poverty and
the harsh and strange mortification that he applied; all of these made his
Superiors met his desires without asking. So they kept him in the monastery and
didn’t entrust him with the pastoral ministry in parishes, not to disturb him in
his sublime thoughts, so he could be a model in prayer, in the Mass, at work and
in theological dispute, and sometimes being available as a confessor for men.
Then, he was sent to the hermitage after realizing that he was already living as
a hermit. His anchorite life in the hermitage wasn't other than a
continuation of his priesthood life since the novitiate.... Therefore, there was
no difference between his life in the convent and that in the hermitage, so they
truly called him the miracle of the hermits. His entry to the hermitage was in
obedience to his Superiors and not due to his request because he had no
particular inclination. His merit of being in the hermitage wasn’t greater than
that of the monastery. On the other hand, his fellow brothers could no longer
endure his holiness, because by his example, monks and hermits, conservative or
not, felt rebuked. Then, if someone craved to eat a grape and saw Fr. Sharbel,
he would drop it at once, feeling ashamed.
11
- Servant of Alishaa
The hermit Alisha Al-Hardini requested Fr. Sharbel to come to
the hermitage, he immediately accepted. Fr. Sharbel was serving the hermits and
particularly, Fr. Alisha; he used to bring to the monastery his eating, his
drinking and serving his Mass. Sometimes, he celebrated Mass in the convent,
because he had no one in the hermitage to serve his Mass. He remained diligent
on this plan, for six years.
12-He blessed the water jar
Before the appointment of Fr. Semaan Ehmj to the Order,
before 1871, the locusts came to his area. The residents of Ehmj asked Father
Sharbel to bless their water, to sparkle it in their vineyards and fields in
order to remove the harm of the locusts. After the water was blessed, Fr. Semaan
personally carried it, so they sprayed their vineyard near the hermitage
13- Alishaa
recommended Sharbel ... to be his successor
After 44 years and a half, in the hermitage of
Annaya, Fr. Alishaa died on February 13, 1875 at the age of 76, bearing the last
sacraments. He remained conscious till the last moment of his life. He was
buried in a wooden coffin on Sunday, February 14 at 8 am and placed in the
cemetery of St. Maron monastery. Many people attended his funeral. The following
day, the head of the convent, Fr. Elias Meshmesh ordered that Fr. Sharbel
officially becoming a hermit together with Fr. Libaos Al-Ramaty.
14 - Sharbel
abandoned the economic method of Alishaa
The hermits forbid the cutting of the logs from the hermitage
woods because of its nearby to the monastery, preferring to go further in
uncontrolled areas; Fr. Sharbel thwarted this custom of predecessors, leaving
this issue to the good knowledge and the wisdom of the Superior. Thus,
throughout his life, he submitted to the blind obedience. Also on the issue of
collecting the vows income and other offerings, they were collected by others,
for the benefit of the convent’s properties; Fr. Sharbel delivered them to the
servant, then to the Superior to do what is appropriate, without giving any
opinion.
15 - A moon among the stars
His
life in the hermitage wasn’t different from that in the convent, except that he
was following the rules of the hermits. He never failed any duty even the
smallest responsibility of the hermit. He had the opportunity to meet his eager
desire to go further in asceticism and mortification as well as having one meal
per day. He even exceeded the rule, by more asceticism and wore sackcloth and a
girdle of iron thorny directly on his flesh and skin. I have never seen in my
life, any hermit that can be equalized to him in the virtue and the observance
of the rule, even among the most devoted monks. He surpassed all hermits, for he
was between them like the moon among the stars. His life was angelic and divine.
His personality was embodied by; purity, sincerity, living faith, hope, love for
God and neighbor.
16 - Servant of the hermits (John 13/14)
Fr. Makarios Meshmesh entered the hermitage of Annaya on April 25/1880.
Fr. Sharbel used to go frequently to the convent to bring for the two hermits,
Fathers Makarios Meshmesh and Libaos Al-Ramaty their food and drinks for a week;
he put the stuff in a bag made of a goatskin and carried it on his back. He
considered himself a servant to his companion, Fr. Makarios Meshmesh, the
hermit.
17 - Come back to the hermitage!
Fr. Sharbel was responsible to watch over the field planted
with cucumbers. One morning, Fr. Makarios found that the land was swept by the
foxes so he blamed Fr. Sharbel for his negligence, Fr. Sharbel said:"I
saw the young foxes were hungry, I felt sorry for them and I let them eat."
Fr. Makarios replied angrily: “Go and sleep in the convent". He arrived there so
late walked into his cell; there stood the empty lantern, which it hadn't been
used for years. He went to the kitchen to fill it with oil, the cook
replied:"The dispenser went, and I have no oil". He asked him to give him at
least a bit of it. The cook took the lantern, filled it with water instead of
oil and gave it back to him, and behold it was burning, even longer than if it
had been filled with oil. After two hours of absence the dispenser, Brother
Francis Meshmesh came, he entered the cell of Fr. Sharbel to find the lighted
lantern, he approached it, examined it and found nothing but water, and he was
shocked, and didn't dare to ask him anything. He told his brother, the Superior
Elias Meshmesh, he examined the lantern himself and found water in it. After
the miracle of the lamp, the head of the convent ordered Fr. Sharbel to return
to the hermitage after he had been expelled by Fr. Makarios.
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