Description

Saint Charbel Makhlouf Medal – Silver-Plated ZAMAC – Made in Italy – 1″

He sought silence. The world found him anyway. High in the mountains of Lebanon, far from crowds and recognition, Saint Charbel Makhlouf gave his life to prayer, penance, the Eucharist, and the quiet search for God. He became one of the great saints of the Maronite Catholic Church and, generations after his death, a beloved intercessor for Catholics throughout the world.

This Saint Charbel Medal is a high-quality, Italian-made Catholic devotional medal crafted from silver-plated ZAMAC, a durable metal alloy composed primarily of zinc. Unlike inexpensive lightweight aluminum medals, its more substantial metal construction gives it the traditional character of a devotional medal while remaining compact enough for everyday wearing or carrying. Each medal measures approximately 22 × 15mm, or about 1 inch tall, and weighs approximately 2 grams.

Born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf in 1828 in the mountain village of Bekaa Kafra, Lebanon, the future Saint Charbel grew up within the ancient Christian tradition of the Maronite Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome. As a young man, he left home to pursue the monastic life and eventually entered the Lebanese Maronite Order, taking the religious name Charbel. He was ordained a priest in 1859. For years, Father Charbel lived the disciplined rhythm of monastic life: prayer, fasting, manual labor, obedience, and the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Eventually he received permission to live as a hermit at the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, where he spent the remaining years of his life in greater solitude.

There was little in that life the world would have called spectacular. There was silence. Work. Prayer. And long hours before God. At the center of Saint Charbel’s spirituality stood a profound devotion to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. He died in 1898 after becoming ill while celebrating the Divine Liturgy. After his death, extraordinary reports associated with his tomb and intercession spread devotion to Charbel far beyond Lebanon. Catholics around the world began seeking his prayers, particularly during illness, suffering, and seemingly hopeless circumstances. Pope Saint Paul VI canonized Saint Charbel in 1977. His popularity has continued to grow internationally, making this humble Lebanese hermit an extraordinary spiritual bridge between Eastern and Western Catholic traditions. Saint Charbel is frequently depicted in the black hood of the Maronite monastic habit, his eyes lowered in contemplation—a fitting image of a man who spent his life withdrawing from attention so that his attention might rest more completely upon God.

A Saint Charbel medal should not be regarded as a magical object or a guarantee of physical healing. Like other Catholic sacramentals, it serves as a tangible reminder to pray and to seek the saint’s intercession while placing one’s ultimate hope in Jesus Christ. It is not a substitute for appropriate medical care.

The silver-plated finish gives this medal a traditional Catholic appearance suitable for wearing on a medal chain or incorporating into Rosaries, chaplets, bracelets, keychains, and handmade devotional gifts. Its compact one-inch size also makes it convenient as a pocket medal or addition to a Saint Charbel prayer card or devotional gift set. Made in Italy from silver-plated ZAMAC rather than lightweight aluminum, these medals are especially suitable for Catholic retailers, Rosary and jewelry makers, Maronite communities, parish ministries, retreats, prayer groups, and gifts for those with a particular devotion to Saint Charbel.

Wear one. Carry one into prayer. Give one to someone walking through illness or suffering. For Saint Charbel left behind a lesson formed in the silence of a hermitage: The world does not have to notice a life for that life to become holy. Sometimes holiness grows where almost no one is watching— except God.

Product Details

Item: Saint Charbel Makhlouf Medal
Saint: Saint Charbel Makhlouf
Also Known As: Saint Sharbel Makhlouf
Style: Catholic devotional medal
Material: Silver-plated ZAMAC (primarily zinc alloy)
Finish: Silver plated
Size: Approximately 22 × 15mm
Height: Approximately 1″
Weight: Approximately 2 grams each
Country of Origin: Made in Italy
Catholic Tradition: Maronite Catholic
Religious Community: Lebanese Maronite Order
Construction: Substantial metal alloy; not lightweight aluminum
Feast Day: July 24 in the Roman Catholic calendar; the Maronite liturgical calendar observes his feast according to its own tradition
Devotional Associations: Saint Charbel, Maronite spirituality, Eucharistic devotion, prayer, monasticism, solitude, perseverance, illness, suffering, and trust in God
Suggested Uses: Medal chains, Rosaries, chaplets, bracelets, keychains, pocket medals, handmade Catholic jewelry, prayer gifts, Maronite Catholic gifts, retreat gifts, care packages, and Catholic gift sets
Note: These medals are not represented as blessed. They may be blessed by a Catholic priest for devotional use. This devotional item makes no claim to prevent, treat, or cure illness.
Category: Catholic Jewelry → Saint Medals → Saint Charbel Medals