Maronite Prayers & Novenas
Maronite prayer is ancient. Its roots reach back to the Aramaic-speaking communities of the early Church, and its traditional texts carry phrases that are older than most of the prayers known in the Latin West. Yet the prayers themselves are simple. They are meant to be prayed in a kitchen, at a bedside, in the pew of a country church, and in the silence of a hermit's cell.
The articles below gather the traditional Maronite prayers most often asked for: the novena to Saint Charbel, the prayer for healing, and the Maronite rosary. Each includes the full text, the story behind the prayer, and practical guidance on when and how to pray it.
The Prayers
Novena to Saint Charbel
9-Day Prayer
The complete nine-day novena — daily prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be — with guidance on making an intention and stories of answered prayer.
Saint Charbel Prayer for Healing
Traditional Prayer
The prayer asked for in sickness and suffering, with the story of the holy oil from Annaya and how it has been used by pilgrims.
The Maronite Rosary
Prayer Guide
The rosary as prayed in the Maronite tradition. The four sets of mysteries, the Maronite additions, and the rhythm of the prayer.
The Saints Behind the Prayers
Most Maronite prayers are tied to a saint whose life gave them their shape. Reading the life helps the prayer settle. The articles below offer short, carefully researched biographies.
Saint Charbel Makhlouf
1828 – 1898
The life behind the novena and the healing prayer — twenty-three years of silence and over a century of miracles.
Miracles of Saint Charbel
Documented cases
The healings and the holy oil. What has actually been recorded, and what the Church has recognized.
Saint Rafqa
1832 – 1914
A life of voluntary suffering, often prayed with in grief and illness.
Browse the full article library at charbel.app/blog. The Charbel app adds audio recordings of every prayer, in English, Lebanese Arabic, French, and Portuguese.