Saint Rafqa
Early Life
Boutrossieh Ar-Rayes was born on June 29, 1832, in the village of Himlaya in the Metn district of Mount Lebanon. Her mother died when she was just seven years old, and her father remarried. Despite the challenges of her childhood, young Boutrossieh developed a deep and abiding faith.
At the age of 14, she began working as a domestic servant to support herself, but her heart was set on religious life. Her stepmother and an uncle each wanted her to marry, but she felt called to consecrate her life to God.
Religious Vocation
In 1853, at the age of 21, Boutrossieh entered the Marian Order of the Immaculate Conception in Bikfaya, where she received the name Anissa (Agnes). She worked as a teacher in several villages across Lebanon for the next seven years, known for her gentleness and dedication to her students.
When her religious congregation was dissolved in 1871, she joined the Lebanese Order of Saint Anthony of Padua (the Baladiyeh Order) and took the name Rafqa (Rebecca). She made her perpetual vows at the Monastery of St. Simon El Qarn in Aito, northern Lebanon.
Suffering and Grace
In 1885, during the feast of the Holy Rosary, Rafqa prayed a remarkable prayer: she asked God to allow her to share in the sufferings of Christ. Her prayer was answered. She soon developed severe headaches, and within a short time, she lost the sight in her right eye during a painful and unsuccessful medical procedure.
Over the following years, she gradually lost sight in her left eye as well, becoming completely blind. She also suffered from the dislocation of her bones and partial paralysis. Despite these afflictions, which lasted for 29 years until her death, Rafqa never complained. She continued to pray, to work at manual tasks by touch, and to radiate a peace and joy that astonished all who knew her.
"I asked God for suffering, and He granted it. I will not ask Him to take it away. His will, not mine."
Death and Legacy
Saint Rafqa died on March 23, 1914, at the age of 81 at the Monastery of St. Joseph in Jrabta, northern Lebanon. She had endured her suffering for nearly three decades with extraordinary patience and trust in God.
After her death, many miracles were attributed to her intercession. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 17, 1985, and canonized on June 10, 2001, becoming the first Maronite woman to be canonized.
Her feast day is celebrated on March 23. Her remains are venerated at the Monastery of St. Joseph in Jrabta, which continues to attract pilgrims from Lebanon and around the world.
Saint Rafqa's life teaches us that suffering, when offered to God with love and trust, becomes a path to sanctity. Her patience, humility, and unwavering faith remain an inspiration to all who face hardship.
See also: Saint Charbel Makhlouf and Saint Nimatullah Al-Hardini, fellow Lebanese Maronite saints. Learn more about the Maronite tradition.