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Rafqa Rayyes, Lebanese Maronite Nun
 Saint Rafqa was born on 29th of June 1832 in Himlaya, one of the villages of Northern Metn near Bikfaya. She was named Boutroussieh after St. Peter, prince of the Apostles, on whose feast day she was born.on 7th of July, 1832 priest Hanna El-Rayess baptized her in St. Georges church in Himlaya. In 1839 and at the age of seven, Rafqa lost her mother, she stayed alone with her father for 4 years until the age of 10. She lost tenderness of her mother and her poor father couldn't provide bread for her daughter. He was obliged to accept that she goes to Damascus and serves in the house of Assaad Badawai, a prominent maronite personage from Baabda. She was treated as one of the family.
She spent 4 years in this catholic household as a model of faithfulness, piety and purity. At age of 14, she returned to her father's house to find he had remarried from kafa and had two daughters. Afte few years a heated argument had developed between her stepmother and her aunt, each of who had her own marital designs for the young boutroussieh. Her stepmother wanted to marry boutroussieh to her brother and her aunt to her son. So Rafqa asked God to help her and clear her thoughts. So she thought to entering into the monastic life and become a nun. She never hesitates to go to the monastery of Our lady of Deliverance where priest Youssef Gemayel had already guided her steps to enter into the monastic life.
When she entered the monastery church she felt a deep joy and happiness and she heard a voice saying:" You will be a nun". The superior of the convent accepted her without asking her neither any questions nor any delay. She refused to go back home with her father who came to discourage her from becoming a nun.
On 19th of March, 1861 St.Joseph's day St Rafqa wore the novice robe and on March 19th, 1862 St.Joseph's day she had pronounced he temporary monastic vows: Obedience, chastity, poverty and mission. The new vower went to Ghazir seminary where she was in charge of kitchen service.
In 1860, she was sent to Deir Al-Qamar to teach catechism. There she witnessed the bloody massacres that occurred during that period. After a year she returned to Ghazir. In 1863 she was sent to teach in school of her congregation in byblos. She became famous in all the villages of Byblos and everyone loved and trusted her. Then she was asked to go to Maad to teach and educate the young girls. She spent there with another nun seven years establishing a new school for girls. She was always decent, calm and sweet with a pleasant smile. While living in Maad, her congregation St Mary in Bikfaya merged with the Sacred Heart in Zahle into one congregation. So the sister was given the choice of joining the new congregation or going back to secular life.
Toward this situation Rafqa had a dream in which Saint Anthony the Great appeared to her and told her to enter the Baladite Order.So she joined the Order and was accepted in St Simon monastery in Aito. She wore the novice robe on July 12th,1871 taking her new religious name "Rafqa" after her mother. She spent 26 years in the monastery of Simon in Aito. All nuns loved her for she was so gentle and virtuous. In the monastery's church she prayed asking God to share Christ's passion. Immediately her health began to deteriorate, a pain began in her head and moved to her eyes. She refused to take treatments. But the mother superior obliged her to undertake medical treatment
After a long suffer of pain she was taken to an American Doctor who insisted that an operation is necessary. During the surgery he pulled out her eye which causing her a severe bleeding that doctors of Beirut stopped it. Over 12 years she experienced intense pain with no complain nor did she moan and groan only a heavenly smile was always on her face. And when pain became more intense she always said: For God's glory, in participation with Jesus Passion and with your crown of thorns, my Lord".
On November 3rd 1897, Rafqa moved with 5 nuns from St. Simon monastery to St. Joseph El-Dahr, Jrabta, Batroun. In 1899 Rafqa became blind and totally paralyzed. She remained in bed in one position for nine years but always insisted on working in the convent as well as she could with her disabilities usually spinning wool and knitting.
On March 23rd, 1914, at age of 81 the soul of sister Rafqa was called to eternal bliss. She was buried in the common cemetery of the nuns in the monastery of St. Joseph El-Dahr, Jrabta. By her death her sisters in monastery said that they had lost an earthly angel and that is true she died but she still lives in our convent by her virtues.
Four days after her death, miraculous cures were recorded at Rafqa's grave; the first miracle was with Mother Ursula Doumit whose throat was slowly closing so there was fear she would starve to death.
On November 17th 1985, Pope John Paul II beatified The Blessed Rafqa. On 10th June 2001 Pope John Paul II declare her saint for the whole church.
Miracles and Graces of Saint Rafqa
Rafqa went back to the soil where she was extracted. What was written in the bible was fulfilled :"Ashes to Ashes". therefore, the soil of her tomb became a source of graces and blessings. People rushed to her tomb and took soil to heal the diseases: resurrection of a dead, healing from cancer, paralysis, kidney diseases, blindness, muteness, craziness and hemorrhages...
Miracles during St. Rafqa lifetime (1905 - 1914) :
1- She crawled, miraculously to the church on the feast of blessed Sacrament.
2- She asked to see for an hour and she enjoyed seeing the sisters and the monastery.
3- She saw the heavenly glory in a state of ecstasy and vision.
4- She chewed the blessed sacrament and stayed without eating for whole day.
5- On March 23rd 1914, Rafqa rested in peace. On 26th March a splendid light appeared on her tomb for three consecutive nights.
After her death, with the intercession of St. Rafqa, Our Lord made lots of miracles and blessings
1- On November 23rd 1925, Charify Khoury declare that Saint Rafqa healed her son Peter who was dying because his body became to store up uric acid and was forbidden to eat anything except milk. One night she dreamed of St. Rafqa telling her that :"Do not be afraid for your son, give him whatever he wants to eat, he will not die. Next morning her son Peter was able to eat any kind of food without hurting him.
2- On March 1938, Elizabeth Nakhleh El-Bathawi, from Torza was healed of a uterus cancer. This miracle was adopted in the beatification case on November 17th 1985.
3- On November 23rd 1985, the child Celine Sami Rbeiz, from Rmel-beirut, was healed of cancer. This miracle was adopted to declare Rafqa Saint on June 10th, 2001.
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