St. Rafqa

St. Rafqa's life is a profound testament to the power of faith, the beauty of suffering offered to Christ, and the extraordinary grace that can flow from complete surrender to God's will. Her journey from a simple Lebanese village to sainthood demonstrates how ordinary people can achieve extraordinary holiness through prayer, sacrifice, and unwavering trust in God's providence. Her story is particularly inspiring for those who face physical suffering, as she shows us how to transform pain into prayer and how to find joy even in the midst of great trials.

Born on June 29, 1832, in the small village of Hemlaya, Lebanon, Rafqa (also known as Rebecca) was the only child of Saber El-Choboq El-Rayess and Rafqa Gemayel. She was baptized on July 7, 1832, and given the name Boutroussieh. Her parents were devout Christians who instilled in her a deep love for prayer and the Catholic faith from an early age. By all accounts, her childhood was happy and simple, filled with the love of her parents and the peace of rural Lebanese life. However, this peaceful existence was shattered when Rafqa was just seven years old and her mother died, leaving her and her father to face the challenges of life alone.

The death of her mother marked the beginning of a period of great tribulation for Rafqa and her father. They soon experienced severe financial difficulties, and Rafqa was sent to work as a domestic servant in Damascus for four years to help support the family. This separation from her father at such a young age must have been extremely difficult, but it also began to shape her character and deepen her reliance on God. During this time away from home, she learned the value of hard work, humility, and trust in God's providence.

In 1847, Rafqa returned home to find that her father had remarried, and his new wife desired that Rafqa marry her brother. At the same time, an aunt wanted to arrange a marriage between Rafqa and her cousin. This situation placed Rafqa in a difficult position, caught between two potential suitors and under pressure from family members to make different choices. Rather than being overwhelmed by these conflicting demands, Rafqa turned to prayer and asked God to guide her. Her answer surprised everyone: she would marry neither man, but instead would devote her life entirely to Jesus and become a nun.

Following this divine call, Rafqa traveled to the convent of Our Lady of Deliverance in Bikfaya, where she joined the Mariamettes, a congregation founded by Fr. Joseph Gemayel. According to legend, when she entered the convent and gazed upon the icon of Our Lady of Deliverance, she heard the voice of God telling her, "You will become a nun." The Mother Superior of the convent accepted her immediately, recognizing the authenticity of her vocation. Shortly thereafter, her father and his new wife arrived to try to dissuade Rafqa from her God-chosen path, but she remained steadfast in her commitment to religious life.

Rafqa's early years in religious life were marked by service and teaching. She was sent to Deir El Qamar to teach catechism, where she demonstrated great courage during a period of civil unrest. On one occasion, she reportedly saved a child from murder by hiding him under her robes, showing her willingness to risk her own safety for the protection of others. After serving in Deir El Qamar for a year, she returned to her congregation and became a novice, taking her temporary vows on March 19, 1862.

During this period, Rafqa was assigned to kitchen service in a seminary, but she used her free time to learn Arabic, writing, and arithmetic. She also helped convince other girls to join the congregation, showing her gift for inspiring others in their faith. In 1863, she continued working as a teacher, first at a school belonging to her congregation in Byblos, then in Maad village where she and a fellow sister established a new school for girls. Her dedication to education and her ability to establish new schools demonstrated her organizational skills and her commitment to spreading the faith through education.

Following this early period of active ministry, Rafqa began to receive messages from heaven. When her order faced a crisis, God told her, "You will remain a nun." She also heard the voices of saints directing her to enter the Lebanese Maronite Order. Obedient to these divine communications, Sister Rafqa took her solemn vows in the new order on August 25, 1872. During her time in the Maronite Order, she was known for being quiet and contemplative, devoted to prayer and speaking little. She commonly made sacrifices and lived in great austerity, demonstrating her commitment to a life of penance and prayer.

In October 1885, Sister Rafqa made an unusual and profound request of Jesus, asking to share in his suffering. This request was immediately answered, as she began to experience pain in her head, which then moved to her eyes. Her superior was concerned about Rafqa's pain and ordered that she be examined by doctors and sent to Beirut for treatment. As she passed through the nearby church in Byblos, the congregation mentioned that an American doctor was in the area. They located the doctor, who recommended immediate surgery for Sister Rafqa.

During the surgery, Rafqa refused anesthesia, choosing to experience the full pain as a way of sharing in Christ's suffering. Tragically, the doctor made a mistake which caused her eye to emerge from its socket and fall to the floor. Instead of panicking or becoming angry, Sister Rafqa blessed the doctor, saying, "For Christ's passion, God bless your hands and may God repay you." This extraordinary response demonstrated her complete trust in God's will and her understanding that all suffering can be offered to Christ.

The surgery did not succeed, and shortly thereafter, pain entered her left eye as well. For the next twelve years, she experienced constant pain in her remaining eye and severe headaches. At no point did she reverse her wish to share in Christ's suffering. Instead, she remained joyful in prayer and patient in her suffering. She became quiet for long periods, speaking infrequently, but always joyously when she did speak. Her ability to maintain joy in the midst of such intense suffering was a powerful witness to the grace that comes from offering one's pain to Christ.

In 1887, Sister Rafqa was sent with five other sisters to found a new monastery in Jrabta, Batroun in Lebanon. Despite her suffering, she worked patiently and diligently as she was able, contributing to the establishment of the new community. In 1899, she became completely blind and paralysis set in, eventually confining her to bed, mostly paralyzed and only able to lie on her right side. Her body withered, but her hands remained capable, and she used them to knit socks, continuing to serve others even in her severely limited condition.

A wound developed in her left shoulder, which she referred to as "the wound in the shoulder of Jesus," showing her deep identification with Christ's passion. This continued for seven years, during which time she offered all her suffering as a prayer for the salvation of souls. On March 23, 1914, she received her last communion and called upon Jesus and the Holy Family, then went to her reward in Heaven. After she was buried in the monastery cemetery, a light appeared on her grave for three consecutive nights and was witnessed by many, a sign of her sanctity and the power of her intercession. Her cause for beatification was opened in 1925, and she was declared venerable by Pope John Paul II on February 11, 1982, beatified on November 17, 1985, and finally canonized on July 10, 2001.

Liturgical Celebration

St. Rafqa's feast day is celebrated on March 23rd, commemorating the day of her death and entrance into eternal life. This feast is particularly significant in Lebanon and among Maronite Catholics, where she is honored as a national saint and a powerful intercessor. Churches throughout Lebanon may hold special Masses and prayer services on this day, and many devotees may visit her relics or the monastery in Jrabta where she spent her final years. The feast serves as a reminder of the power of redemptive suffering and the importance of offering our trials to Christ for the salvation of souls.

Traditions and Customs

On St. Rafqa's feast day, many communities, especially in Lebanon and among Maronite Catholics, may choose to reflect on the themes of redemptive suffering, contemplative prayer, and courageous faith. Some may hold special prayer services for those who are suffering from illness or disability, asking for St. Rafqa's intercession for healing and strength. The day also serves as an opportunity to pray for the people of Lebanon and for peace in the Middle East, remembering St. Rafqa's love for her homeland and her prayers for its people. Many may also pray for those who are blind or disabled, asking for St. Rafqa's intercession and inspiration to find ways to serve God despite their limitations.

Prayer and Devotion

Devotees pray to St. Rafqa for strength in suffering, for healing of eye problems and other physical ailments, for courage in following God's call, for growth in contemplative prayer, and for the grace to offer their trials to Christ. Her intercession is particularly sought by those who are blind or visually impaired, by those who suffer from chronic pain or disability, by those who are discerning religious vocations, by those who need courage to make difficult life decisions, and by all who need strength to endure suffering with faith and joy. Her example reminds us that suffering can be transformed into prayer and that even the most difficult trials can become means of grace when offered to Christ.