CNA has run a fascinating story with the above headline on an apparent miracle in Naples, Italy. The extraordinary phenomena reported here concern a sacramental associated with a celebrated Lebanese hermit-saint. We encourage readers impressed by this story to pray for Saint Charbel’s native country of Lebanon, whose Christians are, once more, caught in the senseless voilence gripping the Middle East.
Below is an AI-produced summary of the article, the original of which may be found here: “‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing’: Miracle of the oil of St. Charbel in Naples church,” by Almudena Martínez-Bordiú.1
- The Event: On July 24, 2025, in the Church of San Fernando in Naples, an event described as a miracle occurred. Msgr. Pasquale Silvestri, the parish priest, presided over a Mass for the feast of Saint Charbel, a Lebanese hermit saint.
- The Anointing: Following the Mass, Msgr. Silvestri used a small bottle of blessed oil, sent from the Maronite Curia in Rome, to anoint the more than 500 faithful who were present, many of whom were sick.
- The Miracle: The priest worried the oil would run out before everyone could be anointed. After tipping the bottle repeatedly to get the last drops and anoint the final person, he put the empty container away. Later, upon retrieving it from the safe, he discovered it was completely full again.
- He stated, “I realized that it was full again. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
- He also noted that the newly filled bottle “weighed more than before,” and after telling the congregation, “Everyone applauded when they saw it.”
- Further Phenomena: The next day, Lebanese pilgrims visited and, upon smelling the oil, confirmed “it gave off the scent of the cedars of Lebanon.” The priest added that “the oil is perfumed, something that seems impossible.”
- Related Healings: Msgr. Silvestri shared that just hours before the miracle, a young parishioner told him she had been miraculously cured of a breast tumor through Saint Charbel’s intercession. Since the event, five or six others have reported physical or spiritual healings and have been asked to provide written testimony.
- Official Procedure: The priest emphasizes he is not a “miracle worker,” but describes the event as a serious “production of matter.” He has followed Canon Law by reporting the incident to the official postulation for Saint Charbel’s cause. The bottle is being kept safe for any official investigation.
- All AI-produced content on Catholicism.org is clearly marked as such and is reviewed, edited, and, if necessary, corrected, by a human editor before publication (policy implemented Oct. 15, 2024). ↩
