A July celebration honoring St. Charbel Makhlouf at a parish in Naples, Italy, has drawn attention after worshippers reported what they believe may be a miraculous sign.
The 19th-century Lebanese hermit, born in 1828 in Beqaa-Kafra near Lebanon’s famed cedar groves, was renowned for his austere life, constant prayer, and intercession for the sick.
The reported event took place at St. Ferdinand Church July 24, where hundreds gathered for Mass in honor of the saint, Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) reported. Among the crowd were many seeking physical healing or spiritual consolation.
Following the liturgy, pastor Msgr. Pasquale Silvestri began anointing parishioners with blessed oil sent from the Maronite Curia in Rome for the occasion. As he moved down the long line of the sick, he noticed the jar of oil was nearly gone.
By the time he reached the final person, Msgr. Silvestri believed the last drops had been used. However, when placing the jar back in its case, he discovered it was once again full and noticeably heavier.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” he said, according to RVA.
The news was met with applause from those present. Msgr. Silvestri, careful not to claim the role of a miracle worker, remarked that “there was a production of matter; this is a very serious thing,” and noted that, following canon law, he immediately contacted the postulator for St. Charbel.
The following day, a group of Lebanese visitors came to the church and asked to smell the oil. They reported a strong cedar fragrance, a scent closely tied to Lebanon and deeply symbolic in St. Charbel’s life and heritage.
The jar of oil is now secured for examination by Church authorities, who will determine whether the incident meets the Church’s criteria for a miracle.
Msgr. Silvestri said he had only learned about St. Charbel’s life more recently but was “deeply moved,” eventually placing the saint’s image in the church — a gesture that spurred growing devotion among parishioners.
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Author: Rachel Quackenbush
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