The Charbel Scholarship is named in honor of Saint Charbel Makhlouf, the Lebanese Maronite monk whose life of profound prayer, intellectual formation, and radical fidelity to God as a hermit continues to inspire Catholics around the world. Known among Lebanese Christians as the “Miracle Monk of Lebanon,” St. Charbel embraced a life of simplicity, contemplation, and devotion to the Eucharist, and his witness reminds us that the pursuit of knowledge finds its highest purpose in the pursuit of holiness. St. Charbel passed from this life into the next on December 24th, 1898, and his feast is celebrated on July 24th.

Though he lived a life of extraordinary holiness, it wasn’t until after his death that his holiness became well known beyond the walls of his monastery. As his story spread, people learned that St. Charbel was not only a monk but also a student of theology and philosophy, studying both as part of his embrace of the Maronite monastic tradition. His life is a concrete reminder that learning should lead to holiness, not merely professional success–a fact that is a key tenet of life at Wyoming Catholic College, as well as of the vibrant Byzantine chaplaincy it hosts. Inspired by St. Charbel’s life, this scholarship recognizes students who seek not only academic excellence but also the cultivation of virtue, discipline, and a life ordered toward truth, celebrating the Catholic ideal that learning and sanctity belong together, and that education should form the whole person—mind, body, and soul.

The Charbel Scholarship is awarded to a member of the Freshman class whose interest in attending the College indicates a clear desire to pursue academic excellence alongside a life of prayer, humility, and disciplined study. Inspired by the saint’s deep devotion to the Eucharist and contemplative life, the scholarship helps support young people who are committed to seeking truth and holiness through their education at Wyoming Catholic College.