Four days after her death, Sister Ursula Doumit experienced a miracle, which took place through the intercession of Sister Rafqa. For eight years, Sister Ursula Doumit had been suffering from a lump in her throat that prevented her from even drinking milk. On the fourth night after Rafqa's death, after having asked the other sisters to let her rest undisturbed, she heard a knock at the door of her cell and heard someone say, "Take sand from Rafqa's grave and swab your throat with it. You will be cured." (A Message 1985: 281). Sister Ursula thought that one of the sisters had come to her about community affairs, so she asked to be left alone and went back to sleep. Again there was a knock and she heard the same message. She answered, "I will get the sand when morning comes." In the morning, after learning that none of the nuns had knocked on her door, she went to Rafqa's grave and took some sand. Though still in wonder about what had happened during the previous night, she mixed the sand in water and swabbed the lump. The lump disappeared immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sister Ursula had been miraculously cured! Since then, she advised all who came come to her with an illness to do the same. 

 

 

On the 23rd of December 1925 and during the tenures in the office

of Maronite Patriarch Elias Howayek, the Superior General of the

Lebanese Maronite Order Abbot Ignatius Dagher, and Pope Pius XI,  

the Lebanese Maronite Order presented Rafqa's cause for beatification to Rome. 

The causes of the future Blessed Hardini

and Saint Charbel were submitted at the same time.  

 

 

Many physical and spiritual healings have been attributed to Rafqa's intercession

such as the miracle of Joseph Ibrahim Fayyad, a child who was cured of

cancer at the right side of his neck in 1925, the miracle of Kafa Youssef Gerges,

a child who was cured of paralysis in 1924, the miracle of Linda Philippe Hanna Sakr,

a child who was cured of acute hemorrhage in 1924, the miracle of Mariam Hatem

who was cured of nervous disorders in 1925, the miracle of Dona Youssef Abdallah

who was cured of a skin disease in his leg in 1924, the miracle of Fahd, a boy who

was cured of paralysis in 1925, the miracle of a woman from Ain Kfaa who was

cured of ear pains in 1925, the miracle of Rachel Mahmoud el-Khazen who

was cured of nervous disorders in 1935, the miracle of Michel Elias Sarrouf

who was cured of an unknown disease that prevented him from speaking,

the miracle of Marian Habbour who was cured of colon cancer in 1952, and the

the miracle of Basma Youssef el-Khoury who was cured of skin cancer in 1966.

 

 

 

 

 

However, the miracle put forward for the Beatification of Sister Rafqa was the instantaneous, complete, definitive and scientifically inexplicable curing of a Lebanese woman named Elizabeth En-Nakhel from Tourza in northern Lebanon, who was suffering from uterine cancer. Elizabeth was cured, through Rafqa, in 1938 and lived for 28 years more. She died from a completely different illness in 1966. 

 

On the 9th of June 1984, the eve of Pentecost, in the presence of the Holy Father John Paul II, the authenticity of the miracle experienced by Elizabeth En-Nakhel was publicly announced. This was necessary for beatification which took place on the 17th of November 1985. She was then called Blessed Rafqa. Her feast day is celebrated on the 23rd of March. 

 

The Miracle of Celine Rubeiz was the miracle that confirmed Rafqa's Saintliness. 

 

The story starts in October 1984, when one-year-old Celine slept abnormally for 24 hours before being taken to a hospital. After suffering from hemorrhage and swollen belly, Celine's tests showed she had a tumor in her kidney that had to be removed. 

 

Soon after the surgery, Celine's little body was ravaged by cancer. She was bleeding from her nose and ears. Doctors gave her 24 hours. 

 

In November 1985, Celine grandmother read an article about blessed Rafka and believed that some sand from Rafka's tomb was the only cure. So she brought some sand and gave them to Remonda, Celine's mother, who mixed the holy sand to a Mhallbieh plate to feed it to Celine who had stopped eating for a while. 

 

Celine ate the first plate and a second plate, then she woke up and started walking around in the hospital. Nurses and doctors could not believe their eyes. Today Celine leads a perfectly normal life. 

 

Celine's miracle was the latest proof awaited by the investigation committee for the saintliness of Rafka and it has finalized the Rafka case. Saint Rafqa's Miracles continue to this day and Shadi Estephan Kayyal was cured of generalized cancer in 2000. 

 

Rafqa is like the bride of the Song of Songs who listened to the calls of her beloved: "Come from Lebanon, my promised bride, Come from Lebanon, come on your way. Look down from the heights of Amanus, From the crests of Senior and Hermon, The haunt of lions, The mountains of leopards. The scent of your garments Is like the scent of Lebanon. She is a garden enclosed, My sister, my promised bride; a garden enclosed A sealed fountain Fountain of the garden, Well of living water, Streams flowing down from Lebanon!" Excerpts from the Song of Songs 4:1-15 

 

Miracles continue to be granted through her intercession. Thousands of believers visit her tomb at Saint Joseph's monastery in Jrabta. Saint Rafqa was canonized on June 10, 2001.