Press Release - Dedication of the Chapel of Saint Sharbel

By Joseph Zwilling and Mercedes Lopez Blanco

 
 
DEDICATION OF THE CHAPEL OF SAINT SHARBEL AT ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL BY CARDINAL DOLAN AND MARONITE PATRIARCH BECHARA PETER CARDINAL RAI
 
The Blessing and Dedication of the much-anticipated Chapel of Saint Sharbel will take place on Saturday, October 28^th at 12:00 P.M. at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral by Archbishop of New York Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Patriarch Bechara Peter Cardinal Rai, the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. The Chapel of Saint Sharbel is situated along the northeastern corridor of the cathedral, near the Lady Chapel, and is accessible by way of the ambulatory, or ramp, on the north side of the Sanctuary.
 
Saint Patrick Cathedral’s most recent chapel honors the Catholic Maronite Saint Sharbel Makhlouf, O.L.M., a monk and priest from Lebanon whose profound spirituality touched hearts the world over with the Gospel message that interior communion with God is not only possible, but the privilege of all Christians. The Chapel of Saint Sharbel consists of a hand-crafted mosaic depicting Saint Sharbel in the mountains of Lebanon, near the Monastery of St. Maron, with a landscape of thriving cedars and crystalline Mediterranean waters denoting a life in the Spirit. At the center of the chapel is a niche with a kneeler and a table displaying first-class relics of Saint Sharbel. This niche opens from the center of the Mosaic, inviting visitors to enter into the reverential silence that this renowned Saint perfected in his remote mountain hermitage; an interior silence that so many people in urban centers seek today.
 
Saint Sharbel is known for his monastic spirituality and miraculous gifts of healing. In addition to his native country of Lebanon, St. Sharbel also inspires devotion among Catholics in Europe, the Middle East, and throughout Latin America. The Chapel of St. Sharbel includes a dedication to May and Nabil Sehnaoui, the parents of Antoun Sehnaoui, whose generosity allowed for the chapel’s construction. All are welcome to join in the inauguration of the Chapel of Saint Sharbel, which stands as an emblem of Christian unity in New York and throughout the world.
 
 
While in New York, Patriarch Rai will be the guest of Bishop Gregory J. Mansour, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron in Brooklyn.
 
Members of the press wishing to cover the Dedication Service and Blessing of the Chapel of Saint Sharbel are asked to kindly R.S.V.P. to [email protected].