Naamatallah Hardini
From Maronite History
Father Nemetallah Al-Hardini was born as Joseph Kassab in 1810. (Many books and articles say 1808, but Fr Paul Sfeir’s research shows conclusively that it was 1810). He had four brothers and two sisters. His brother Elias became Fr Lesha, a hermit at Qozhaya and later at Annaya. Joseph entered the school of the monks of St Anthony at Houb, 1816-1822, and then entered the monastery of St Anthony Ishaia and became a novice of the Lebanese Maronite Order in 1828. He adopted the name Nemetallah (‘Grace of God’) and while there learned the art of book-binding. He took his first religious vows in 1830. After he finished his theological studies, he was ordained a priest in the monastery at Kfifan in 1833. He became a member of the General Council of his Order three times: 1845-1848, 1850-1853 and 1856-1858. As a member of the Council he continued to bind books. He taught in monastic schools, especially in Kfifan.
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Reputation for holiness
Fr Nemetallah was a man above all of prayer, totally enraptured by God. He spent days and nights in meditation, his arms uplifted in prayer and adoration of the Blessed Eucharist. The Virgin Mary was his patron and Fr Nemetallah prayed her Rosary faithfully. He was also a very humble, compassionate and patient man who lived his monastic vows of obedience, chastity and poverty to perfection. He said Mass with extraordinary reverence and devotion, as the high point of his day and centre of his life. His fellow monks and the people who knew him called him ‘The Saint’ even while he was still alive. His presence always imposed a special respect, reverence and solemnity. One of his students was the junior monk Charbel Makhlouf in the years 1853-58. It is well known that Brother Charbel modelled himself on Fr Nemetallah.
His example
Many people have turned back to God because of Nemetallah’s intercession and way of life. For many monks, his example has been the impetus for a complete self giving in their vocation and a new determination to walk on the same path of loyalty to their Lord Jesus Christ. To Fr Nemetallah is attributed the start of a whole school of sanctity in his Order. His name became synonymous with holiness and virtue, and some even coined the word ‘Hardana’, which in Arabic means ‘to be like Al-Hardini’ and follow his way of holiness.
Sayings
The holy monk’s sayings have become widely quoted: “The monk in his monastery is a king in his castle. His nation is his religious Order, his soldiers are his brother monks, his glory is his virtue, his crown is his love of God and his Order, his garland is his chastity, his weapons are his poverty,obedience and prayers and his robe is his humility.” One of his best-known sayings is, “The clever man is the one who knows how to save his soul.”
Miracles in his lifetime
‘The Saint of Kfifan’ performed many miracles and sometimes showed the gift of prophecy. On one occasion, when he was teaching his students and facing a large wall outside the monastery of Kfifan, he had a sense that the wall was suddenly going to fall. Thereupon, he asked his students to move away just before the wall fell down—and all present were spared injury.
Death and incorruption
Fr Nemetallah died in the monastery of Kfifan on 14th December 1858. He passed away after struggling ten days with a high fever which he contracted from the cold winter wind of northern Lebanon. He was only 48 years old. He died holding a picture of the Virgin Mary,his last words being: “O Virgin Mary, into your hands I entrust my soul.” People who were nearby at the moment of Blessed Nemetallah’s death perceived a heavenly light illuminating his room and an aromatic smell which remained in his room for a number of days afterwards. Some time later, the monks opened Nemetallah’s tomb and to their surprise they found his body had remained incorrupt. His body was examined and placed in a new coffin in 1996 in the Monastery of Kfifan where people may visit it.
To the altars
Pope John Paul II beatified Fr Nemetallah on 10 May 1998, the first anniversary of his pastoral visit to Lebanon. He was canonised on 16 May 2004. This completed the great trilogy of Maronite Saints to be canonised in the last 30 years. The Maronite Church celebrates his feast-day on December 14.
Miracles after death
Several cures have taken place through his intercession. These include the raising to life of a Moslem child whose mother claimed had died, the healing of a person with a neurological disease, the restoration of sight to a blind person, and the curing of a person suffering from cancer.
Pope John Paul II on St Nemetallah
At his beatification, Pope John Paul said that Fr Nemetallah Youssef Hardini, a Lebanese Maronite Monk, “is an example of Christian and monastic life for the Maronite community and for all disciples of Christ today… He is a sign of hope for all Lebanese, particularly for families and young people … Today there is a new celebration for Lebanese all over the world, for one of their brothers is held up to them as a model of holiness.”
Biographies
Two books on his life are available in English: one by Bishop Joseph Mahfouz, and one by Fr Paul Sfeir of Holy Spirit University, Lebanon. There is also a film of his life, available in Arabic and with English sub-titles. Made with great simplicity and authenticity, the film depicts the character of our new Saint very faithfully.
sources
marounia, Maronite magazine.
