ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH Saints celebrated on the 23rd of March WELCOME! SAINT RAFQA SHABAQ AL-RAYES, VIRGIN Saint Rafqa (Rebecca) was born in Himlaya, one of the villages of Northern Metn (Lebanon), on June 29, 1832. She was the only child of Mourad Saber el-Choboq el Rayess and Rafqa Gemayel. HER BAPTISM On July 7, 1832 she was baptised and named Boutroussieh. Her parents taught her the love of God and the practice of daily prayer. At age seven, she suffered her first great loss with the death of her mother. When she was old enough, her father sent her into service for four years in the home of Assaad Badawi. A CHANGE IN FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES Upon returning home she found that her father had remarried. His new wife wanted Rafqa to marry her brother. At this time, Rafqa felt drawn to the religious life. She asked God to help her achieve her desire and set off for the convent of Our Lady of Deliverance in Bikfaya, accompanied by two girls whom she met along...