The Flower of Lily

Besides her moral beauty, Saint Rafqa was of a rare physical beauty. According to Moussa Khayrallah’s wife from Jran:”she had a rounded face with very beautiful eyes, she was a tall girl and had a thin but strong body.” She was very meek and cheerful, her smile was pure and her voice was gentle. She had a very modest life, but her thoughts were noble, her words were chaste and all her acts were immaculate.

Church of Our Lady of Deliverance, Bikfaya

On some occasions during Sundays and feast days, she went to the church of Our Lady of Deliverance in Bikfaya. She confessed to her spiritual father, the man of God, the priest Youssef Gemayel. With a touching simplicity she confessed to him all her difficulties and desires. She asked him for advice concerning the salvation of her soul and the future of her spiritual life.

Her encounter with Father Gemayel could be considered as a precious providential gift that was given to her from the Most High for the sanctification of her soul. In fact the priest Gemayel was like her guardian angel, he was always present, and he guided her and supported her all the way on her path of virtue. Father Gemayel was a rare and exceptional kind of man, his firm character and his meekness of behavior made of him the exemplary priest, he represented all the holy virtues of priesthood.

Boutrossiyé was indeed a young orphan, but Father Youssef used to strengthen her with his spiritual advice and prepared her to listen to the voice of Jesus. He gave her the assurance that Our Lady will save her from evil, that she was her true mother who is watching over her, and that she was not alone.

On the other hand, father Youssef Gemayel was noticing Boutrossiyé’s strong aspirations for God and her ardent desire to realize them. She often asked him :”What should I do?” and her spiritual father who used to call her “the lily of Himlaya” knew very well that she was longing for God and that she was dreaming to see Jesus face to face and to contemplate him eternally.