Saint Charbel Convent
Mar Charbel Church and Convent in Bethlehem is a significant religious site dedicated to Saint Charbel Makhlouf, a Maronite monk and priest from Lebanon known for his piety and miracles. Located in the historic city of Bethlehem, this church and convent serve as a spiritual and community center for the local Christian population and visiting pilgrims.
In 1980, a group of Lebanese priests from the Maronite Church in the Holy Land came to Bethlehem and established a convent and church, which were inaugurated in 1983 under the name of Mar Charbel. Since then, the convent has offered accommodation to pilgrims as well as study rooms for students of Bethlehem University.
This was not the first time the Maronite community had a presence in Bethlehem. In 1908, Maronite monks had previously come to the city of Jesus' birth and founded a monastery and church dedicated to Saint Charbel.
The continued Maronite influence in Bethlehem was marked in 2015, when on December 26th the relics of Saint Charbel were brought to the Mar Charbel convent and church. This allowed the faithful to venerate the remains of the renowned Maronite saint within the sacred space of Bethlehem.