Venerable Patriarch Estephan El Douaihy
Venerable Patriarch Estephan El Douaihy will be beatified on August 2nd, 2024, the day of his birth in 1630, at the Maronite Patriarchate headquarters in Bkerke, Lebanon.
Estephan El Douaihy, former Patriarch of Antioch and the East of the Maronite Church, was deeply involved in intellectual endeavors, producing significant writings on Maronite liturgy and history, the mysteries of the Catholic faith, sermons, and other philosophical and theological works. The Maronites regard Patriarch El Douaihy as their most significant Patriarch, the pioneer of their historical academic sources, and the initial organizer of their ecclesiastical rites. (1)
Early Life
The Venerable Servant of God Estephan El Douaihy was born on August 2, 1630, the feast day of Saint Stephen the archdeacon and first martyr of Christianity. He was born in the town of Ehden, which is high in the mountains of Lebanon near the Cedars of God forest. Estephan received a well-rounded education, including moral, liturgical, and linguistic training, and learned Arabic and Syriac. His father, a subdeacon and the son of a priest, passed away when Estephan was three years old.
At the age of 11, Estephan was sent by the Superiors of the Maronite Church to the Maronite College in Rome, where he remained for fourteen years until April 1655. During his time there, he studied rhetoric, logic, mathematics, philosophy, theology, and several languages including Arabic, Syriac, Italian, Latin, and Greek. It is said that he became blind due to his extensive studying and reading, but, as was believed by him and his circles, was miraculously healed by the Virgin Mary, allowing him to continue his studies. He earned a doctorate in philosophy and intended to return home.
Estephan's return to Lebanon was delayed due to the scarcity of travelers. In the meantime, he dedicated himself to research in the libraries and schools of Rome, gathering all available information related to the history of his church and country. He copied the information he found, intending to later organize and document the histories of the Maronites. Before returning to Mount Lebanon, Estephan received the minor orders—chanter, reader, and subdeacon—on April 3rd in Rome. Despite the insistence of his acquaintances, including Fathers of the Holy Synod, Jesuit Fathers, and a Roman nobleman, to stay in the West as a professor of philosophy and theology at the universities, Estephan was determined to return to his homeland to serve his church and people with the knowledge he had acquired.
The Venerable Servant of God Estephan El Douaihy was born on August 2, 1630, the feast day of Saint Stephen the archdeacon and first martyr of Christianity. He was born in the town of Ehden, which is high in the mountains of Lebanon near the Cedars of God forest. Estephan received a well-rounded education, including moral, liturgical, and linguistic training, and learned Arabic and Syriac. His father, a subdeacon and the son of a priest, passed away when Estephan was three years old.
At the age of 11, Estephan was sent by the Superiors of the Maronite Church to the Maronite College in Rome, where he remained for fourteen years until April 1655. During his time there, he studied rhetoric, logic, mathematics, philosophy, theology, and several languages including Arabic, Syriac, Italian, Latin, and Greek. It is said that he became blind due to his extensive studying and reading, but, as was believed by him and his circles, was miraculously healed by the Virgin Mary, allowing him to continue his studies. He earned a doctorate in philosophy and intended to return home.
Estephan's return to Lebanon was delayed due to the scarcity of travelers. In the meantime, he dedicated himself to research in the libraries and schools of Rome, gathering all available information related to the history of his church and country. He copied the information he found, intending to later organize and document the histories of the Maronites. Before returning to Mount Lebanon, Estephan received the minor orders—chanter, reader, and subdeacon—on April 3rd in Rome. Despite the insistence of his acquaintances, including Fathers of the Holy Synod, Jesuit Fathers, and a Roman nobleman, to stay in the West as a professor of philosophy and theology at the universities, Estephan was determined to return to his homeland to serve his church and people with the knowledge he had acquired.
Priestly Life
Upon returning to his homeland, Lebanon, Estephan El Douaihy was ordained a priest on March 25, 1656, by Patriarch Youhanna Al-Safrawy (1648-1656). He carried out his apostolate in various parishes in Lebanon and Syria, teaching children, preaching to the people, organizing spiritual retreats, and engaging in research and writing. Estephan became known for his vast and deep knowledge, virtuous character, and holy life.
In 1657, Estephan renovated St. Jacob of the Abyssinians Monastery in Ehden, where he led a life of asceticism, prayer, and simplicity. He founded a school there, teaching children the basics of Syriac and Arabic and nurturing them in faith and morals. The school had forty students, twelve of whom went on to become priests. He put special effort into editing, writing, and striving to propagate Catholicism. Among his works were a Syriac-Arabic dictionary and a book on ceremonial rites and the seven sacraments.
During Lent in 1658, Estephan was sent by Patriarch Jirjis Al-Bsebaali (1658-1670) to serve in the Maronite Parish in Aleppo, Syria, accompanying Bishop Andrawus Akhijan, later the Syriac Catholic Patriarch and a graduate of the Maronite College. Estephan served for five months, preaching in Arabic, teaching, and confronting the Jacobites.
Upon returning to Lebanon, he received an edict appointing him as a missionary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in the East. He chose to stay with his brother in Ainṭoura, Keserwan, in the Mount Lebanon district. There, he taught fifteen students humanities, church sciences, catechism, and the Syriac language, and served the nearby parishes on Sundays and feast days, preaching and administering.
In 1659, following the death of Bishop Elias of Ehden, the people of Ehden wrote to Patriarch Al-Bsebaali requesting Estephan’s promotion to episcopacy. Estephan refused, arguing that he could not continue his current activities as a priest if he became a bishop.
In 1660, after remaining for approximately one year in Ainṭoura, Patriarch Al-Bsebaali tasked Estephan, as a Patriarchal Visitor, with a tour of the Chouf, Sidon, Bekaa, Marjayoun, Wadi al-Taym, and other nearby regions. These places were relatively far from the Patriarchal Seat and were mostly inhabited by Turks, Druze, and Orthodox Christians, which posed challenges for the Maronites. Estephan visited Maronite parishes, worked to resolve their disputes, explained Christian doctrine, and called for repentance. His tour lasted three months, after which he submitted a detailed report to the patriarch.
Satisfied with the success of Estephan’s visit, the Patriarch requested him to stay with him in Qannoubine, as his relatives in Ehden had asked him to establish a school for their children. Thus, Estephan returned to managing St. Jacob of the Abyssinians School, which he had established earlier.
At that time, Estephan received a letter from the French consul in Aleppo requesting him to go to India to establish a mission there. Estephan declined, stating that the matter concerned the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and the patriarch and that he was unfamiliar with the language and customs of the country.
In 1663, Patriarch Al-Bsebaali elevated Estephan to the rank of Chorbishop. Despite his initial hesitation and resistance, he reluctantly accepted the request to return to Aleppo, responding to both the Patriarch's wishes and the demands of the people of Aleppo for his pastoral care.
Arriving in Aleppo, he founded a school known as “Maronite School of Scribes” where he taught the basics of Syriac, Arabic, and Italian languages. The school gained a great reputation. Prominent scholars and founders of monastic orders from different Christian sects graduated from this school.
Estephan spent six years in the city, during which he preached, taught, and managed the affairs of the faithful, earning the nickname "the second Chrysostom." Estephan's teachings and sermons had a dual purpose: to educate the Maronites of Aleppo, who numbered over three thousand, and to encourage non-Catholic Christians to return to the Church of Rome. This motivated him to develop a unified mass rite that combined the traditions of the three patriarchates of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, and to prepare a booklet explaining the teachings of the Council of Chalcedon (451).
Upon returning to his homeland, Lebanon, Estephan El Douaihy was ordained a priest on March 25, 1656, by Patriarch Youhanna Al-Safrawy (1648-1656). He carried out his apostolate in various parishes in Lebanon and Syria, teaching children, preaching to the people, organizing spiritual retreats, and engaging in research and writing. Estephan became known for his vast and deep knowledge, virtuous character, and holy life.
In 1657, Estephan renovated St. Jacob of the Abyssinians Monastery in Ehden, where he led a life of asceticism, prayer, and simplicity. He founded a school there, teaching children the basics of Syriac and Arabic and nurturing them in faith and morals. The school had forty students, twelve of whom went on to become priests. He put special effort into editing, writing, and striving to propagate Catholicism. Among his works were a Syriac-Arabic dictionary and a book on ceremonial rites and the seven sacraments.
During Lent in 1658, Estephan was sent by Patriarch Jirjis Al-Bsebaali (1658-1670) to serve in the Maronite Parish in Aleppo, Syria, accompanying Bishop Andrawus Akhijan, later the Syriac Catholic Patriarch and a graduate of the Maronite College. Estephan served for five months, preaching in Arabic, teaching, and confronting the Jacobites.
Upon returning to Lebanon, he received an edict appointing him as a missionary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in the East. He chose to stay with his brother in Ainṭoura, Keserwan, in the Mount Lebanon district. There, he taught fifteen students humanities, church sciences, catechism, and the Syriac language, and served the nearby parishes on Sundays and feast days, preaching and administering.
In 1659, following the death of Bishop Elias of Ehden, the people of Ehden wrote to Patriarch Al-Bsebaali requesting Estephan’s promotion to episcopacy. Estephan refused, arguing that he could not continue his current activities as a priest if he became a bishop.
In 1660, after remaining for approximately one year in Ainṭoura, Patriarch Al-Bsebaali tasked Estephan, as a Patriarchal Visitor, with a tour of the Chouf, Sidon, Bekaa, Marjayoun, Wadi al-Taym, and other nearby regions. These places were relatively far from the Patriarchal Seat and were mostly inhabited by Turks, Druze, and Orthodox Christians, which posed challenges for the Maronites. Estephan visited Maronite parishes, worked to resolve their disputes, explained Christian doctrine, and called for repentance. His tour lasted three months, after which he submitted a detailed report to the patriarch.
Satisfied with the success of Estephan’s visit, the Patriarch requested him to stay with him in Qannoubine, as his relatives in Ehden had asked him to establish a school for their children. Thus, Estephan returned to managing St. Jacob of the Abyssinians School, which he had established earlier.
At that time, Estephan received a letter from the French consul in Aleppo requesting him to go to India to establish a mission there. Estephan declined, stating that the matter concerned the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and the patriarch and that he was unfamiliar with the language and customs of the country.
In 1663, Patriarch Al-Bsebaali elevated Estephan to the rank of Chorbishop. Despite his initial hesitation and resistance, he reluctantly accepted the request to return to Aleppo, responding to both the Patriarch's wishes and the demands of the people of Aleppo for his pastoral care.
Arriving in Aleppo, he founded a school known as “Maronite School of Scribes” where he taught the basics of Syriac, Arabic, and Italian languages. The school gained a great reputation. Prominent scholars and founders of monastic orders from different Christian sects graduated from this school.
Estephan spent six years in the city, during which he preached, taught, and managed the affairs of the faithful, earning the nickname "the second Chrysostom." Estephan's teachings and sermons had a dual purpose: to educate the Maronites of Aleppo, who numbered over three thousand, and to encourage non-Catholic Christians to return to the Church of Rome. This motivated him to develop a unified mass rite that combined the traditions of the three patriarchates of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, and to prepare a booklet explaining the teachings of the Council of Chalcedon (451).
Estephan the Bishop
In May 1668, Estephan left Aleppo and headed to Mount Lebanon, where he met with Patriarch Al-Bsebaali to request permission to visit the Holy Lands with his mother and brother. Theophilos Tula, the Franciscan custodian of the Holy Lands, praised Estephan's extensive knowledge, purity, and authentic views, describing him as a role model for pilgrims, stating, "He was an example to our missionaries and most of our brothers."(2)
When Estephan returned, he was compelled by his temporal and spiritual superiors to accept the appointment as Bishop of Cyprus on July 8, 1668, following the death of the previous bishop. In the same year, the Patriarch sent him as a "Patriarchal Visitor" to visit the parishes in the regions of Jubbah, Zawiya, and Akkar in northern Lebanon.
At the beginning of 1669, Estephan arrived in Cyprus for a pastoral visit and remained there until early 1670. He toured the Maronite villages on the island, dedicating his visit to teaching, administration, and sanctification. The island's inhabitants referred to him as the beacon and pride of the Maronite nation. He also ordained deacons and priests, consecrated churches and altars, examined church records and books, and studied the customs and conditions of the Maronites there.
In May 1668, Estephan left Aleppo and headed to Mount Lebanon, where he met with Patriarch Al-Bsebaali to request permission to visit the Holy Lands with his mother and brother. Theophilos Tula, the Franciscan custodian of the Holy Lands, praised Estephan's extensive knowledge, purity, and authentic views, describing him as a role model for pilgrims, stating, "He was an example to our missionaries and most of our brothers."(2)
When Estephan returned, he was compelled by his temporal and spiritual superiors to accept the appointment as Bishop of Cyprus on July 8, 1668, following the death of the previous bishop. In the same year, the Patriarch sent him as a "Patriarchal Visitor" to visit the parishes in the regions of Jubbah, Zawiya, and Akkar in northern Lebanon.
At the beginning of 1669, Estephan arrived in Cyprus for a pastoral visit and remained there until early 1670. He toured the Maronite villages on the island, dedicating his visit to teaching, administration, and sanctification. The island's inhabitants referred to him as the beacon and pride of the Maronite nation. He also ordained deacons and priests, consecrated churches and altars, examined church records and books, and studied the customs and conditions of the Maronites there.
Estephan the Patriarch (1670-1704)
In late April 1670, Bishop Estephan returned from Cyprus to Tripoli and immediately went to the Patriarchal Seat in Qannoubine, where he learned of the death of Patriarch Jirjis Al-Bsebaali from the plague on April 12 of that year.
On May 20, the Maronites and the dignitaries of the country gathered at the Monastery of Our Lady of Qannoubine and elected Bishop Estephan as Patriarch, despite his objections, attempts to flee, and efforts to remain out of sight. Initially, not everyone approved of his election.
The new Patriarch sent Father Youssef Al-Hasrouni to Rome with a letter addressed to Pope Clement X, expressing the faith of the Maronite Church and its union with the Holy See, and requesting the papal bull of confirmation and the pallium of office. However, his request was delayed for quite some time. The papal approval was finally issued on August 8, 1672, although the Bull of Appointment was not received until October 1673, upon the return of Father Youssef Al-Hasrouni.
Patriarch El Douaihy worked to open the Maronite Church to both Eastern Churches and Latin missionaries, as well as to the Apostolic See and France. From the Qannoubine Valley, he engaged in discussions and debates to maintain a delicate balance between the Roman Church, where he was educated, and the unique characteristics of the Syriac Maronite Church, which coexisted with other Eastern Churches and diverse religious populations. He dedicated his life to the Maronite Church, providing her with an eastern identity combined with a Latin organization. He even consecrated Yoliano Ramirez, a Hispanic Franciscan friar, as bishop of Tyre, In 1691. Ramirez proved to be extremely loyal to the Maronites, securing annual financial support from Duchess Avero to establish a printing press in Mount Lebanon. Had this project come to fruition, it would have enabled Patriarch El Douaihy to publish his own books, which until then remained unpublished in the Maronite College library in Rome and the library of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.
Under the rein of Patriarch El Douaihy, the monastic orders were reformed to have a Latin-Western organization. Due to his strong personality and monastic discipline, the Maronite Church became a unique working hub that influenced both men and land. The Church today benefits from his significant contribution.
During his tenure, several wars, injustices, and political upheavals occurred. His guiding principle in these times was to protect the concerns and interests of his people, shielding them from political and religious challenges. He made his voice heard globally to preserve the dignity of the Patriarch and the Maronites. He corresponded with the King of France and his consuls in the East while maintaining regular communication with the Roman Pope and the College of Cardinals. He was proactive in sending envoys overseas, aiming to enlighten the Christian West—from Rome to Paris and from Tuscany to Spain—about the issues faced by Eastern Christians.
On October 25th, 1702, the French consul Jean Batiste Estelle mentioned the Patriarch’s name positively. In a letter to minister Bonchartrene, he said that financial help given by the French king to the Patriarch was distributed equally, for this Patriarch is a saint who spent all received donations by Western Christian benefactors and what he received from the Maronites, to those in need, on the one hand, and to those held in Turkish prisons; he feared for his people from being beaten or mistreated and from ingratitude.(3)
A well-known story recounts an incident involving the Patriarch and Issa Hamadi, the governor of Jibet Bsharri. The governor attempted to coerce the Patriarch into paying overdue taxes to the receiver in Tripoli. When the Patriarch refused, Issa Hamadi struck him in the face, nearly knocking him to the ground.
Seeking assistance, the Patriarch called upon the Khazinite notables of Kesserwan, Mount Lebanon, who promptly arrived in Qannoubine with 400 soldiers. Despite this support, the Patriarch chose to forgive Issa Hamadi, requesting no reprisals. Subsequently, Issa and Ismaail Hamadi vowed not to trouble the Patriarch or the monastery of Qannoubine again.
On April 19, 1704, the Patriarch departed from Kesserwan and returned to Qannoubine. Shortly after his arrival, he fell ill and passed away in May of the same year, surrounded by bishops, monks, and a large crowd. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried in the nearby cave of Saint Marina, the resting place of his ancestors.
On the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Maronite College in Rome, the following was written under Patriarch Estephan El Douaihy's portrait:
“There is no praise that is enough to honor this pontiff because he is above all praise. He was promoted to kingship but found higher authority than it, working hard to excel others not in greatness but in righteousness and virtue. He had written histories about his nation, and rituals, and for that he deserved praise. Let his virtues be known not only to current generations but also to previous and future ones. He lived a monastic life dedicated to his own mind and God’s service as if had no faithful to attend to, and he cared about others as if he had no concern for himself and God. He sought to enrich others. What a blessed land that took tribute from her leader instead of paying it to him."(4)
In late April 1670, Bishop Estephan returned from Cyprus to Tripoli and immediately went to the Patriarchal Seat in Qannoubine, where he learned of the death of Patriarch Jirjis Al-Bsebaali from the plague on April 12 of that year.
On May 20, the Maronites and the dignitaries of the country gathered at the Monastery of Our Lady of Qannoubine and elected Bishop Estephan as Patriarch, despite his objections, attempts to flee, and efforts to remain out of sight. Initially, not everyone approved of his election.
The new Patriarch sent Father Youssef Al-Hasrouni to Rome with a letter addressed to Pope Clement X, expressing the faith of the Maronite Church and its union with the Holy See, and requesting the papal bull of confirmation and the pallium of office. However, his request was delayed for quite some time. The papal approval was finally issued on August 8, 1672, although the Bull of Appointment was not received until October 1673, upon the return of Father Youssef Al-Hasrouni.
Patriarch El Douaihy worked to open the Maronite Church to both Eastern Churches and Latin missionaries, as well as to the Apostolic See and France. From the Qannoubine Valley, he engaged in discussions and debates to maintain a delicate balance between the Roman Church, where he was educated, and the unique characteristics of the Syriac Maronite Church, which coexisted with other Eastern Churches and diverse religious populations. He dedicated his life to the Maronite Church, providing her with an eastern identity combined with a Latin organization. He even consecrated Yoliano Ramirez, a Hispanic Franciscan friar, as bishop of Tyre, In 1691. Ramirez proved to be extremely loyal to the Maronites, securing annual financial support from Duchess Avero to establish a printing press in Mount Lebanon. Had this project come to fruition, it would have enabled Patriarch El Douaihy to publish his own books, which until then remained unpublished in the Maronite College library in Rome and the library of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith.
Under the rein of Patriarch El Douaihy, the monastic orders were reformed to have a Latin-Western organization. Due to his strong personality and monastic discipline, the Maronite Church became a unique working hub that influenced both men and land. The Church today benefits from his significant contribution.
During his tenure, several wars, injustices, and political upheavals occurred. His guiding principle in these times was to protect the concerns and interests of his people, shielding them from political and religious challenges. He made his voice heard globally to preserve the dignity of the Patriarch and the Maronites. He corresponded with the King of France and his consuls in the East while maintaining regular communication with the Roman Pope and the College of Cardinals. He was proactive in sending envoys overseas, aiming to enlighten the Christian West—from Rome to Paris and from Tuscany to Spain—about the issues faced by Eastern Christians.
On October 25th, 1702, the French consul Jean Batiste Estelle mentioned the Patriarch’s name positively. In a letter to minister Bonchartrene, he said that financial help given by the French king to the Patriarch was distributed equally, for this Patriarch is a saint who spent all received donations by Western Christian benefactors and what he received from the Maronites, to those in need, on the one hand, and to those held in Turkish prisons; he feared for his people from being beaten or mistreated and from ingratitude.(3)
A well-known story recounts an incident involving the Patriarch and Issa Hamadi, the governor of Jibet Bsharri. The governor attempted to coerce the Patriarch into paying overdue taxes to the receiver in Tripoli. When the Patriarch refused, Issa Hamadi struck him in the face, nearly knocking him to the ground.
Seeking assistance, the Patriarch called upon the Khazinite notables of Kesserwan, Mount Lebanon, who promptly arrived in Qannoubine with 400 soldiers. Despite this support, the Patriarch chose to forgive Issa Hamadi, requesting no reprisals. Subsequently, Issa and Ismaail Hamadi vowed not to trouble the Patriarch or the monastery of Qannoubine again.
On April 19, 1704, the Patriarch departed from Kesserwan and returned to Qannoubine. Shortly after his arrival, he fell ill and passed away in May of the same year, surrounded by bishops, monks, and a large crowd. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried in the nearby cave of Saint Marina, the resting place of his ancestors.
On the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Maronite College in Rome, the following was written under Patriarch Estephan El Douaihy's portrait:
“There is no praise that is enough to honor this pontiff because he is above all praise. He was promoted to kingship but found higher authority than it, working hard to excel others not in greatness but in righteousness and virtue. He had written histories about his nation, and rituals, and for that he deserved praise. Let his virtues be known not only to current generations but also to previous and future ones. He lived a monastic life dedicated to his own mind and God’s service as if had no faithful to attend to, and he cared about others as if he had no concern for himself and God. He sought to enrich others. What a blessed land that took tribute from her leader instead of paying it to him."(4)
The Cause for the Canonization
In the synod held in Bkerke on May 1982, chaired by Patriarch Cardinal Antonius Khouraish, it was decided to submit a canonization request to Rome for Patriarch El Douaihy. A committee was formed and was chaired by the Bishop of Beirut at the time to that effect. A new committee was formed by Patriarch Sfeir in 1987, and a third in 1988 that included Monseigneur Michel Hayek as requester of canonization.
Patriarch El Douaihy was declared Venerable on July 3, 2008.
Patriarch El Douaihy was declared Venerable on July 3, 2008.
Official Beatification Miracle
For the beatification of the Venerable Servant of God Stefano Douayhy, the Postulation of the Cause presented for examination by the Dicastery the alleged miraculous healing, attributed to his intercession, of a woman ( Rosette Douaihy Karam) from "seronegative rheumatoid polyarthritis." Born in 1958, married, and mother of three children, in 2010, the healed woman began to experience painful symptoms accompanied by fatigue and difficulty in movement. Clinical and instrumental examinations revealed significant polyarthralgia with severe functional limitation. Meanwhile, her condition worsened. In 2012, she was examined by the Director of the Rheumatology Department of the Hôtel Dieu de France University Hospital, who confirmed the diagnosis of "seronegative polyarthritis." She was prescribed a new pharmacological therapy, but Rosette, tired of so many medical visits that had brought no improvement, decided to stop all treatment. On September 7, 2013, in her desperate condition, she was brought by her relatives to Ehden, the birthplace of the Venerable Servant of God, where the family had a house. There, prayers were offered for the Patriarch’s intercession for her healing. After the invocations, to the astonishment of those present, she managed to get up and walk independently without feeling any pain. From that moment on, the woman no longer had any symptoms related to her previous illness.
The main person invoking the Venerable Servant of God was a neighbor in Ehden, who, along with some members of the Fraternity of the Immaculate Conception, led the sick woman in front of the statue of the Venerable Servant of God located near their homes and began to pray to him. According to a local rite, the friend invited the healed woman to drink coffee in which some soil collected at the foot of the statue of the Venerable Servant of God had been mixed, which she did with great faith. After drinking the coffee, the healed woman felt a strong burning sensation, got up, and began to walk independently to the statue to thank the Patriarch. Shortly afterward, she walked about a kilometer to her sister's house to personally share the news of her healing.
The prayer was unequivocal, directed solely to the Venerable Servant of God. The invocation, both personal and communal, was made with faith and preceded the alleged miraculous healing. Thus, a causal link was found between the invocation and the healing, which was instantaneous, complete, and lasting.
The diocesan inquiry took place at the Ecclesiastical Curia of the Maronites in Antioch (Lebanon) from 2017 to 2019. Legal validity of the Inquiry: October 4, 2019.
Dicastery Medical Council (March 30, 2023): the prognosis was deemed reserved quoad valetudinem; the therapy insufficient and ineffective; the healing instantaneous, complete, and lasting, not scientifically explainable.
Peculiar Congress of Theological Consultors (October 19, 2023): affirmative outcome.
Ordinary Session of Cardinals and Bishops (February 6, 2024): affirmative outcome.
Venerable Patriarch El Douaihy will be beatified on August 2nd, 2024, the day of his birth in 1630, at the Maronite Patriarchate headquarters in Bkerke, Lebanon.
For the beatification of the Venerable Servant of God Stefano Douayhy, the Postulation of the Cause presented for examination by the Dicastery the alleged miraculous healing, attributed to his intercession, of a woman ( Rosette Douaihy Karam) from "seronegative rheumatoid polyarthritis." Born in 1958, married, and mother of three children, in 2010, the healed woman began to experience painful symptoms accompanied by fatigue and difficulty in movement. Clinical and instrumental examinations revealed significant polyarthralgia with severe functional limitation. Meanwhile, her condition worsened. In 2012, she was examined by the Director of the Rheumatology Department of the Hôtel Dieu de France University Hospital, who confirmed the diagnosis of "seronegative polyarthritis." She was prescribed a new pharmacological therapy, but Rosette, tired of so many medical visits that had brought no improvement, decided to stop all treatment. On September 7, 2013, in her desperate condition, she was brought by her relatives to Ehden, the birthplace of the Venerable Servant of God, where the family had a house. There, prayers were offered for the Patriarch’s intercession for her healing. After the invocations, to the astonishment of those present, she managed to get up and walk independently without feeling any pain. From that moment on, the woman no longer had any symptoms related to her previous illness.
The main person invoking the Venerable Servant of God was a neighbor in Ehden, who, along with some members of the Fraternity of the Immaculate Conception, led the sick woman in front of the statue of the Venerable Servant of God located near their homes and began to pray to him. According to a local rite, the friend invited the healed woman to drink coffee in which some soil collected at the foot of the statue of the Venerable Servant of God had been mixed, which she did with great faith. After drinking the coffee, the healed woman felt a strong burning sensation, got up, and began to walk independently to the statue to thank the Patriarch. Shortly afterward, she walked about a kilometer to her sister's house to personally share the news of her healing.
The prayer was unequivocal, directed solely to the Venerable Servant of God. The invocation, both personal and communal, was made with faith and preceded the alleged miraculous healing. Thus, a causal link was found between the invocation and the healing, which was instantaneous, complete, and lasting.
The diocesan inquiry took place at the Ecclesiastical Curia of the Maronites in Antioch (Lebanon) from 2017 to 2019. Legal validity of the Inquiry: October 4, 2019.
Dicastery Medical Council (March 30, 2023): the prognosis was deemed reserved quoad valetudinem; the therapy insufficient and ineffective; the healing instantaneous, complete, and lasting, not scientifically explainable.
Peculiar Congress of Theological Consultors (October 19, 2023): affirmative outcome.
Ordinary Session of Cardinals and Bishops (February 6, 2024): affirmative outcome.
Venerable Patriarch El Douaihy will be beatified on August 2nd, 2024, the day of his birth in 1630, at the Maronite Patriarchate headquarters in Bkerke, Lebanon.
(1) Sources for this page
The Congregation of the Causes of Saints-Vatican
Patriarch Estephan Ad-Duwayhῑ , Biography and Prominent Achievements : Institute of Lebanese Thought at Notre Dame University – Louaize, Lebanon
The Cultural Association of Patriarch Estephan Al Douaihy
(2) Mentioned by Bouṭrus Shibli, Opcit. Pp. 60-62. Quoted by Father Philip al Samrani, al-Mawarinah fi Jazirat Qubruṣ (Maronites in the Island of Cyprus), Beirut: 1979, p.120. It is a response from the Franciscan monk to Pope Clement X who inquired about the new Patriarch in 1671.
(3) The letter in its French version can be found in: Ismail, Adel, Documents diplomatiques et consulaires relatifs a l’histoire du Liban, Vol. 1, pp.35-47, ou Consular de Sedye, register n. 1017.
(4) See in Latin: Compendendiaria enarratio apparatus in Honorem, D. Ioannis evangelistae Romae, MDCIXXXV, p.49. And Simaan Awwad Syriac Vatican 400. This was published in Arabic, Boutrus Shibli, Opcit. pp.125-126.
The Congregation of the Causes of Saints-Vatican
Patriarch Estephan Ad-Duwayhῑ , Biography and Prominent Achievements : Institute of Lebanese Thought at Notre Dame University – Louaize, Lebanon
The Cultural Association of Patriarch Estephan Al Douaihy
(2) Mentioned by Bouṭrus Shibli, Opcit. Pp. 60-62. Quoted by Father Philip al Samrani, al-Mawarinah fi Jazirat Qubruṣ (Maronites in the Island of Cyprus), Beirut: 1979, p.120. It is a response from the Franciscan monk to Pope Clement X who inquired about the new Patriarch in 1671.
(3) The letter in its French version can be found in: Ismail, Adel, Documents diplomatiques et consulaires relatifs a l’histoire du Liban, Vol. 1, pp.35-47, ou Consular de Sedye, register n. 1017.
(4) See in Latin: Compendendiaria enarratio apparatus in Honorem, D. Ioannis evangelistae Romae, MDCIXXXV, p.49. And Simaan Awwad Syriac Vatican 400. This was published in Arabic, Boutrus Shibli, Opcit. pp.125-126.
