Under the sound of shelling in southern Lebanon, Zaher Haidar carried with him only what could save him. As he tried to escape the danger zone, the image of Saint Charbel attached to his car window remained his only companion. Today, Zaher stands in front of the Saint Charbel Monastery in Annaya, in the same car that he says carried him out from under the shelling, to fulfill the vow he made after surviving.

Zaher’s story began reaching people after a video by Annahar in which he shared details of the displacement journey he endured and how he faced difficult days under bombardment in the south, before making it out safely and reaching Beirut. He carried with him the belief that Saint Charbel had been by his side at every stage of the journey.

After the video spread, the story reached Marc Abboud, the mayor of Annaya, who followed Zaher’s story and decided to help him reach the place he had always hoped to visit.

However, the road to Annaya was not easy. The car that had accompanied Zaher during his displacement was damaged, and he was unsure whether he would be able to use it again. After it was repaired, it became, for him, more than just a car. It became part of the story he wanted to tell.

The shrine of Saint Charbel in Annaya Monastery.

Zaher’s joy was not only about the car making it back on the road, but also about reaching the place that had carried a promise for him for months: “I am happy because I was able to reach Saint Charbel’s monastery. Not only because the car was repaired. What matters most to me is that I came here to fulfill my vow.”

Zaher says that the image of Saint Charbel, which remained inside his car throughout his displacement journey, was a source of reassurance for him. He adds that it accompanied him from the south to Beirut, and eventually to Annaya.

“Saint Charbel brings people together across sectarian lines”

Marc Abboud says he came across Zaher’s story after watching the video several times through people who had shared it with him. He says: “The video was shared with me more than 20 times. I saw someone who was not from the area and not from the same sect, but who had great love for Saint Charbel and had a vow he wanted to fulfill. I could not do anything but help him.”

He adds: “Saint Charbel brings people together across sectarian divides, religions, and countries, and the message of love he carries is greater than all boundaries.”

Upon arriving at the monastery, Zaher was unable to hide his emotions and said: “I cannot speak… I came to fulfill my vow. I thank everyone who helped me. Saint Charbel helped me when I was under shelling in the south, got me out of there, and then brought me to Beirut. Today, I have arrived here despite all the difficulties.”

In Annaya, Zaher placed the image of Saint Charbel back inside the car that had accompanied him during his displacement journey, so that it would remain, for him, a witness to a story that began under shelling and ended with a visit to the place he had promised himself he would one day visit.

For Marc Abboud, the message behind this story goes beyond individuals, as he says: “Saint Charbel is greater than all affiliations.” For believers, these stories remain messages of hope that transcend borders.