With a nine-day novena stretching from the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to the Feast of St. Charbel of Mt. Lebanon, Catholics are invited on a spiritual pilgrimage, since war has made it impossible to physically walk the path between these two holy sites.
Philos Catholic, in partnership with In Defense of Christians (IDC), is hosting a novena for the Holy Land for the second year.
They invite people into focused prayer for the Middle East, beseeching “a complete end to the conflict in the Holy Land; the return of all hostages; the rebuilding of devastated communities; the healing of deep wounds and the restoration of trust; and a prophetic sign of peace: that one day soon, Christians may walk safely on pilgrimage from Mount Carmel to Mount Lebanon, two sacred peaks tied by faith, history, and hope.”
[The novena prayer is just a few paragraphs long, asking the intercession of Our Lady of Carmel and St. Charbel.]
Mount Carmel and Mount Lebanon
These two holy sites are situated respectively in Israel and Lebanon, the two countries that form a significant part -- in addition to Palestine, as well as parts of Jordan, Egypt, and Syria -- of what we commonly refer to as “the Holy Land.” Jesus carried out his public ministry in both countries; in both sites, he performed miracles.
Mt. Carmel is the biblical site where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal, demonstrating the power of the Lord over idols. Later in Church history, in the 12th century, the Carmelite order was founded there, and spurred a devotion to Mary under the title “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.”
Mt. Lebanon is a mountain range, and was considered part of the Promised Land. It is known even today for its cedar trees, the lumber said to have been used in the construction of both the Temple of Jerusalem and Solomon’s palace. The cedars of Lebanon are mentioned repeatedly in the Bible.
A spiritual pilgrimage with providential timing
Philos Catholic director Simone Rizkallah explains that while a pilgrimage between Mt. Carmel and Mt. Lebanon is not an established route Christians have historically undertaken, it says something real about geography, history, and the longing for peace.
These are two sacred places tied deeply to the biblical story, and they’re not far from each other in physical distance, which makes their current separation even more striking.
People often forget that Mount Carmel is in northern Israel, and that it’s mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures long before it became associated with the Carmelite tradition in the West.
The Carmelite Order’s roots are Eastern, shaped by the prophet Elijah and the land itself, before being taken up in the spiritual richness of saints like Teresa of Avila or Thérèse of Lisieux.
A natural novena
Remarkably, two Catholic feast days connected to these two holy sites are exactly nine days apart – the traditional length of a novena.
The first is the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on July 16. The second is the Feast of St. Charbel on July 24.
St. Charbel is a Lebanese saint who has many spiritual devotees; a Maronite priest, he was known for his life of deep prayer and humility. Learn about him here.
For the novena, both the feast days are included so as to equal nine days.
Peace, healing, and hope
Referring to the Middle East, Pope Leo XIV said during his Angelus message of June 22, “Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace.”
Rizkallah explains, “This novena is for peace, healing, and hope in both of these sacred lands that have sadly become geopolitical enemies.”
Philos Catholic shared that last year more than 1,000 people joined in the novena, particularly asking that Lebanon be spared from war.
Since that time, “Against all odds, peace has held. Dialogue, not destruction, has taken root between Lebanon and Israel. It was almost unimaginable a year ago.”
This year, the group encourages participants to enter into the novena in a spirit of hope, particularly during this Jubilee year of Hope.
”This Jubilee year reminds us that God’s promises are never revoked. Let’s pray boldly, together. Join us. Share it. Live this Jubilee in hope.”
“That these two sites — Carmel and Lebanon — are only about 100 miles apart and yet completely inaccessible to each other because of war, terrorism, and political tension is tragic, but also clarifying. It reminds us what’s at stake,” says Rizkallah. “With serious diplomacy and prayer — yes, both — things can change. Peace is hard, but not impossible. And the Church should be part of that work on a spiritual level.”
