 From April 27 to May 9, 2026, Raymond Nader, President of the Family of Saint Sharbel, visited Poland as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the spiritual bonds between the Family of Saint Sharbel in Lebanon and its growing presence in Poland. The visit included parish encounters, spiritual talks, media interviews, Church meetings, and public conversations centered on the message of Saint Sharbel and the mission of the Family of Saint Sharbel. During the visit, Mr. Nader met with those responsible for the Family of Saint Sharbel in Poland. These meetings allowed for an exchange of spiritual experience and a sharing of updates about the mission of the Family of Saint Sharbel in Lebanon, Poland, and other parts of the world.
One of the most spiritually focused parts of the trip was a four-day retreat at the Oblate Youth Center NINIWA in Kokotek. The retreat was held under the title “Qadisha Valley,” a name deeply connected to Lebanon’s monastic heritage. During the retreat, Mr. Nader offered talks on ascetic life, the spirituality of the Cross, Saint Sharbel, and the way his spirituality has touched the lives of believers in many places.
In Warsaw, Mr. Nader visited the Field Cathedral of the Polish Army. The gathering began with a Divine Liturgy presided over by Bishop Wiesław Lechowicz, followed by Mr. Nader’s testimony before many faithful. This moment placed the visit in a broader ecclesial context, bringing the spirituality of Saint Sharbel into a setting marked by national memory, service, and public witness. The trip also reached beyond strictly parish settings. Mr. Nader participated in a meeting at the Polish Parliament concerning the persecution of Christians. There, he spoke to the parliamentary committee about the commitment of the Family of Saint Sharbel to evangelization, peace, and the spreading of Saint Sharbel’s spirituality throughout the world. He also visited the Presidential Palace in Poland, where he met Professor Piotr Czauderna, adviser to the President of the Republic of Poland, and Fr. Jarosław Wąsowicz, chaplain of the Presidential Palace, in preparation for a future celebration in honor of Saint Sharbel. 
Raymond Nader’s 2026 visit to Poland stands as one expression of the Family of Saint Sharbel's broader mission: to help the faithful encounter, through Saint Sharbel, a path of prayer, repentance, peace, and holiness.
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 As part of his tour of the Family of Saint Sharbel branches in Europe, the President of the Family of Saint Sharbel, Mr. Raymond Nader, visited Poland accompanied by a delegation of Family officials from April 24th to May 10th, 2025. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen the spiritual ties between the Family of Saint Sharbel in Lebanon and its branch in Poland. The delegation met with several leaders of the Family of Saint Sharbel in Poland, during which spiritual experiences were exchanged between both parties. The delegation also provided updates on the spiritual activities and mission carried out by the Family of Saint Sharbel in Lebanon and around the world. The delegation participated in Divine Liturgies and spiritual gatherings held in the churches and parishes listed below. During these gatherings, Mr. Nader also shared his personal spiritual testimony, recounting the impact of Saint Sharbel on his own life and his widespread influence around the world. In addition, Mr. Raymond Nader led a four-day spiritual retreat titled “The Qadisha Valley” during which he delivered spiritual talks about the lives of the Maronite hermits, Saint Sharbel, and how their spirituality has touched the lives of many believers worldwide. Spiritual Visit Stops:
 The Catholic Church held its sixteenth ordinary general assembly during the month of October 2023 with cardinals and bishops from all over the world participating. This time, the Pope also invited ten representatives from each continent – priests, consecrated persons, and laypeople – to participate in the discussions with the right to vote. Among the representatives from Europe, as one of the five laypeople, was Mr. Alexander Banka, the head of the Family of Saint Sharbel in Poland.
Mr. Raymond Nader, president of the Family of Saint Sharbel, has visited Poland four times so far. He is planning to visit again in May 2024, when he intends to tour new parishes in northern Poland and participate in spiritual retreats with the leaders of newly established Family of Saint Sharbel groups. Click HERE for Mr. Nader's latest visit to Poland.   Mr. Raymond Nader, president of the Family of Saint Sharbel, visited Poland for the fourth time between June 4th and 15th, 2023. The visit included tours to various parishes. There, after the Divine Liturgy, Mr. Nader spoke about Saint Sharbel, his mystical experience with him, and the Family of Saint Sharbel. Afterwards, the parishioners were blessed with Saint Sharbel's oil. The dense attendance across various parishes was noteworthy. After these celebrations, Mr. Nader met with groups interested in establishing a Family of Saint Sharbel in their parishes, explaining to them the spiritual rules of Family of Saint Sharbel, how the meetings are conducted, and some of the qualifications that individuals interested in joining should possess. It is worth mentioning that the obligatory prayer of Saint Sharbel has become available in Polish, due to the previous establishment of Family of Saint Sharbel groups in several parishes in a previous period. This visit also included a Mass on June 14th at the Church of St. Carolina, presided over by the bishop of the archdiocese, where an altar of Saint Sharbel was consecrated and his relics were received and exposed.
Mr. Nader will continue his visits to Poland in May 2024, where he will tour new parishes in northern Poland in addition to participating in spiritual retreats with the members in charge of the newly established Family of Saint Sharbel groups.
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