Estephan El Douaihy

Ordained a priest in 1656, he exercised his ministry in Ehden and then in Aleppo, where he founded a school. Consecrated Bishop of Cyprus in 1668, he was elected Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites in 1670. His 34-year patriarchate was marked by Ottoman persecutions, forcing him to flee his seat in Qannoubine nine times. He led significant liturgical and monastic reforms, opposed excessive Latinization, and authored major works such as the Tarikh Al Azminah.

The reputation of holiness of Esţfān al-Dwayhī spread rapidly after his death on May 3, 1704, at the Monastery of Our Lady of Qannoubine. His remains were transferred to Ehden in 2008. The cause for his beatification progressed decisively on July 3, 2008, when Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, thereby declaring him Venerable.

The miracle accepted for his beatification is the unexplained healing of a woman suffering from a severe, disabling joint disease in Ehden. Pope Francis recognized this miracle on March 14, 2024. The beatification ceremony was celebrated on August 2, 2024, in Bkerké by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, in the presence of Patriarch Bechara Boutros Cardinal Raï and thousands of the faithful.

The spirituality of Esţfān al-Dwayhī combines Syriac asceticism, liturgical prayer, and a deep Marian devotion. He was able to reconcile his Roman theological training with fidelity to the heritage of the Christian East. His legacy structures the modern Maronite Church and inspires the historical and cultural consciousness of the Lebanese people.