Father Beshara Abou Mourad

Ascetic and Apostle (1853–1930)

St. Savior’s – Sidon – Lebanon

An Outline of the Life of the Servant of God Father Beshara Abu Mourad
and the Progress of the Cause for his Canonisation

Life Outline

• He was born Selim Jabbour Abu Mourad in Zahleh in May 1853 and was baptized and confirmed on 28 June of the same year.
• Responding to a religious vocation, he entered St. Savior’s Monastery on 5 September 1874 and took vows of religion on 4 November 1876.
• On 26 December 1883, Bishop Basilios Hajjar ordained him priest.
• He served as prefect of the seminary of St. Savior’s and counselor for the seminarians.
• Between 1891 and 1922, he had charge of the bishop’s school in Deir al-Qamar and then served the parish of Deir al-Qamar and the adjacent Valley for a total of thirty-one years.
• From 4 December 1922 to 1 February 1927, he was parish priest of Sidon.
• On 2 February 1927, he returned to the motherhouse, St. Savior’s.
• At half-past six in the morning on 22 February 1930, the Servant of God passed away in the odor of sanctity and was buried in a particular sepulcher after a requiem attended by crowds.

Progress of the Cause

• 8 June 1983: The Congregation of the Saints in Rome authorized the opening of the cause for the beatification of Father Beshara Abu Mourad at a ceremony in the hall of the Archbishopric of Sidon.
• 6 August 1984: The cause for his beatification was formally opened in the church of St. Savior’s.
• 26 November 1993: The cause was officially concluded for the Archdiocese of Sidon.
• 2 December 1993: The file of the cause was presented to the Congregation of the Saints; decrees for its opening were issued together with recognition of the validity of the proceedings on 18 March 1994.
• 22 April 1994: Father Daniel Ols (Order of Preachers) was appointed Postulator of the Cause. Father Eftemios Skaff helped compile and check the file, particularly regarding Father Beshara’s reputation for holiness and heroic practice of theological and monastic virtues.
• 6 May 1998: The file was presented to the secretariat of the Congregation of Saints for examination for the setting of a timetable.
• 10 February 2004: The Committee of Historical Consultants examined the file and unanimously approved Father Beshara’s reputation for sanctity and the heroic practice of the divine and fundamental virtues.
• 18 December 2009: The Committee of Theological Consultants examined the file and unanimously approved Father Beshara’s reputation for sanctity and the heroic practice of the divine and fundamental virtues.
• 10 December 2010: Pope Benedict XVI declared Father Beshara Venerable.

Sayings of the Servant of God

• If we open our hearts to our brothers the poor, Jesus Christ will open the gates of haven to us.
• I am ready to work with the children of my parish like any laborer in order to build the House of God.
• Everything that a person sows in this life will be reaped in the after-life.
• Prayer and repentance are the two powerful wings on which we soar to heaven.
• Nothing overcomes the devil and allows you to conquer him but confession and prayer.
• The poor man lacks some things but the rich man lacks everything.
• Whoever rejoices in the good done by others will enjoy the same reward as they do.
• The vows of religion are indeed something great. They are a death chosen for the sake of God together with wholehearted faith, hope and love in God above all else.

Testimonies to the Holiness of Father Beshara

• If this priest continues on the road of works of piety and austerity as at present, most certainly he will be proclaimed a saint. — Basilios Hajjar, Archbishop of Sidon and Deir al-Qamar, 1895.
• Father Beshara is a lightning conductor who turns away the wrath of God from the world. — The Superior of the Brothers’ School in Sidon, 1925.
• When I look at him, I feel I am in front of the Priest of Ars and everything about him speaks to me of God. — The Mother Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Sidon, 1927.
• It is with deep emotion that we await the beatification of Father Beshara, for he is a blessing for us and for all the region. — Abbot Louis Bustany, Deir al-Qamar, 1935.
• In every house (family) you will find the name Beshara, for it to be blessed by the name of our saint Father Beshara. — Wadih Bu Rjeily, Mukhtar of Sir Jbal, 1950.

Prayer for the Beatification of Father Beshara Abu Mourad

Merciful Saviour, you who never cease to pour down your grace in abundance upon your priests, those who are your special inheritance, for their holiness and for the benefit of their flocks, we beseech you to look down and glorify your faithful servant Father Beshara Abu Mourad, who went before you following the paths of perfection in the religious life and of the priestly calling, and was your servant all the days of his life.

If it be your will, O Lord, show in him your power that he may gleam like a shining star in the vault of our Church of the East, already resplendent with the glory of its saints. Let all know that the wells of sanctity have not yet run dry in your holy Church. Let the brow of your faithful priest be encircled by the crown of the beatified that we may find in him a perfect model and follow the example of his virtues. So may your holy name be glorified, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sidon, 14th December, 1935
+ Nicholas Nabaa,
Archbishop of Sidon, of Deir al-Qamar and of their Dependencies.

Wonders Attributed to Father Beshara

Healing from Typhoid (1922)

Mr. Yusuf Khalil Abu Safi (born in Sidon in 1903, deceased in 2001) recounted how he was cured of typhoid, widespread after the Great War. In 1922, Yusuf fell gravely ill. After doctors had lost hope, Father Beshara visited him, blessed him, blessed water for him to drink, and blessed a cross which he placed on Yusuf’s chest. Yusuf was cured that very night. The doctor said: “Truly Father Beshara is a saint.” Yusuf treasured that cross as a precious heirloom, and he later helped prepare Father Beshara’s sepulcher in the wall of the church of St. Savior’s.

Rain after Drought (6 May 1929)

After weeks of drought and extreme heat in Iqleem al-Kharoub, the Father General asked Father Beshara to go into the church and pray for rain. About an hour after he prayed, the weather changed, thunder rolled, and an unusually heavy rain fell.

Healing of Wordeh Rahhal (March 1927)

Wordeh Rahhal, who laundered the monks’ clothing, suffered from a malignant disease in her eye causing much pain. In simple faith she washed her face and eyes with water used to wash Father Beshara’s clothes, saying: “This holy priest must cure me.” The next day she was cured and stopped all medication.

A Blessing of Children

A young man from Deir al-Qamar testified that at the birth of his mother’s first son, Father Beshara blessed the mother and newborn and said: “God bless you, you will have seven sons!” She replied: “But I want a little girl as well!” After a short silence he said: “As you like, a girl as well!” The witness said he was the seventh son and that his little sister had just been married.

Twins after Years of Waiting (16 December 2001)

During a visit to Cairo, the Procurator General of the Salvatorian Order gave a young couple a picture of Father Beshara and encouraged them to ask for his intercession. Four months later, he learned that the woman was expecting twins.

Healings of Childless Couples and Children

Father Beshara was widely known for helping childless couples and for healing children.

Healing of Back Pain (1998)

Mr. Joseph Simaan suffered acute back pain and was told surgery was necessary. In 1998 he found a leaflet about Father Beshara and miracles attributed to his intercession. While driving, he prayed as his wife read the leaflet aloud and placed her hand on his back. He felt a strong burning sensation followed by a shiver. When he arrived home he found he could bend without pain and carry heavy weights. Tests later showed surgery was no longer needed and he was completely cured.

Many miracles have been attributed to the intercession of Father Beshara, only a few of which have been recorded, while many others are passed by word of mouth among the faithful. God is most wonderful in his saints!