St Charbel’s College is named after the Lebanese Maronite Saint Charbel Makhlouf.
Born on the 8th May 1828 and named Youssef, St Charbel was the fifth son of a family of modest means. He was orphaned at a young age, and at the age of 23 entered the monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouq as a novice of the Lebanese Maronite Order of Monks. He ended his novitiate after two years and took the name of the martyr, St Charbel, who died in 107 AD. He was ordained as Father Charbel on 23rd July 1858 and spent the next 16 years in community life, before withdrawing into a hermitage. He then spent 23 years as a hermit, during which time he gained a reputation for sanctity.
St Charbel died while celebrating Mass in December of 1898. His body remained incorrupt until 1965 - the year of his beatification. On 9th October 1977, he was canonised by Pope Paul VI.
