Bishop Thomas John Paprocki | Diocese of Springfield

A First Class relic of St. Charbel Makhlouf will be available for public veneration in Illinois this October. The relic, brought directly from Lebanon to the United States for the first time, will be displayed at two locations: the Sanctuary of the Sorrowful Mother in Vandalia on October 7 and 8, and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield on October 19 after the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass.

St. Charbel was a Lebanese priest, monk, and hermit born in 1828. He spent much of his life in prayer and solitude as a hermit in Lebanon’s mountains before his death in 1898. Since then, more than 33,000 miracles have been officially recorded at his tomb or through his intercession. He was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1977.

Pope Paul VI described him as “an admirable flower of sanctity blooming on the stem of the ancient monastic traditions of the East.”

The event at Vandalia includes Mass at 5 p.m. on both days with doors opening at 4 p.m., followed by relic veneration until 8 p.m. In Springfield, veneration will take place after Mass on October 19.

Other First Class relics will also be present for veneration during these events. These include relics of Blessed Anna Marie Taigi, blood from St. Padre Pio, Father Peter Rookey’s Cross containing a piece of the True Cross, St. André Bessette, relics related to the three Fatima children, and St. Carlo Acutis.

Organizers encourage attendees to bring their intentions and hopes to these events.

No RSVP is required for attendance; further information can be found at OSMM.org.