The Monk, The Student

From Al Hardini's Beginnings.

The monastery of Kfifane was at Al Hardini's time the school of the Lebanese Maronite Order for the preparation to the Holy degree of Priesthood and the basics of the Syriac language and Law. Al Hardini attended there the Philosophy and Theology courses and he was an example of assiduity, willing to learn but also constantly observing the monastic rules. He was more distinguished than his fellow students and brothers, he often teached them the topics they were learning. He also worked in seaming, archiving and in the fields.

Monastery of Kfifane

He often repeated in front of his superiors that he was not qualified for Priesthood, but his superiors considered his fear to be rather an illusion, especially when they discovered his physical tiredness due to the excess of studying and praying and hard penance, so they sent him for a period of recovery to the monastery of Saint Moses Al Dawwar, and he obeyed with a deep monastic spirit.