Saint Sharbel Bracelet

When you wear a Saint Sharbel bracelet do you know his significance? Of Saint Sharbel (or St. Charbel). Pope St. John Paul said, "The Church must breathe with her two lungs!" This references Latin Catholics appreciating their Eastern brethren, and Byzantine Catholics breathing life into the Eastern part of the world. St. Charbel is an outstanding representative of our Eastern rite saints.

As many of our beloved saint friends, St. Sharbel lived much of life as a hermit, never venturing out of the Lebanese village he grew up in. Many who knew him noted his tremendous humility, ascetism, love of the Blessed Sacrament, and piety. He died on Christmas Eve, 1898, during the celebration of Holy Mass. His grave site has been a place of miraculous happenings and healings, and Pope St. John Paul's canonization of Lebanese St. Sharbel shines light on the diversity and universality of our Church.

St. Sharbel's feast day is July 24, and he is the patron saint of Lebanon.