- 21
- July
- 2025
Following in the footsteps of the Lebanese saint, a new journey of faith and nature is taking flight in Lebanon: Darb Mar Charbel, inspired by the famous Spanish Camino, was officially inaugurated in Annaya in the presence of the country’s highest religious authorities.
A breath of spirituality swept through the heights of Annaya on Sunday, July 20, with the official inauguration of Section 1 of Darb Mar Charbel, the first long-distance pilgrimage trail in Lebanon. Also known as the Camino de San Charbel, in reference to the world’s great spiritual routes, this ambitious project aims to connect key sites tied to the life and worship of Lebanon’s most revered saint.
The launch ceremony was held at the Saint Maron Monastery in Annaya, in the presence of President Joseph Aoun. The highlight of the day was the blessing of the “Kilometer Zero” marker by Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, symbolically marking the start of this spiritual journey. The event coincided with the feast day of Saint Charbel, celebrated the same day at the monastery.
This first segment (Section A1) links Annaya to Mayfouq and will be followed in the coming months by two new stages toward Bechtoudar and Tannourine. The three planned sections in the northern part of the Darb are as follows:
– Section A1: Annaya – Mayfouq (now open)
– Section A2: Mar Yaacoub el Hosn – Bechtoudar (upcoming)
– Section A3: Wata Houb – Tannourine via Mar Yaacoub el Hosn (upcoming)
The completion of the southern section of the trail, heading toward Harissa, is scheduled for 2026.
A Project of Hope
Present at the inauguration, Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon Archbishop Paolo Borgia hailed it as “an initiative carrying hope for a people in search of meaning.” In his speech, he stated that “walking in the footsteps of Saint Charbel means moving toward interiority, prayer and also solidarity with the most vulnerable.” A message that resonates with the 2025 Jubilee Year declared by Pope Francis under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Launched by the NGO Darbessama, in partnership with the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association (LMTA), the Camino de Mar Charbel blends spirituality, ecology and heritage. Its mission is to reconnect pilgrims with faith, nature and the forgotten villages of deep Lebanon.
A Community Journey
“This project is carried out by those who live on Saint Charbel’s land,” said a member of the team. It is supported by donations, volunteer work and the active involvement of rural communities along the trail. Each stage becomes both a human encounter and a spiritual elevation.
Among the first pilgrims attending the inauguration was Charbel, 37, who walked 85 kilometers to be there. “I wouldn’t have missed this kickoff for anything in the world—our saint’s journey, for us Lebanese here and abroad,” he said, his face glowing despite fatigue.
Beyond this inaugural event, a deeper vision of pilgrimage is taking shape—one rooted in history and turned toward the future.
Far more than a hiking route, Darb Mar Charbel is conceived as a path of inner transformation, much like the Camino de Santiago in Spain, but with a deeply Lebanese flavor: stony footpaths, perched monasteries and the living memory of saints.
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