The beatification of the Maronite Patriarch Elias Boutros Hoyek (1843–1931) is a source of great joy for the Church in Lebanon and, in a particular way, for the Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family, which he founded in 1895. The celebration, held on 25 July in Dimane, the summer residence of the Maronite Patriarchate, was presided over by Cardinal Bechara Boutros Raï, with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints and representative of Pope Leo XIV, in attendance.

For the Congregation, this beatification is much more than the recognition of the holiness of its founder. It is an invitation to renew its fidelity to a charism that continues to serve both the Church and society.

Founded on 15 August 1895 by Patriarch Elias Hoyek together with Mother Rosalie Nasr and Sister Stéphanie Kardouch, the Congregation was established “for the glory of God and the salvation of souls,” in service to both the Church and the country. Today it is a Patriarchal Religious Missionary Congregation, deeply rooted in the Syriac Antiochian Maronite tradition while remaining open to the mission of the universal Church in an ecumenical spirit, working for the “building up of the Body of Christ.”

From its very beginnings, the founder entrusted the Sisters with an essential mission in education, human development, healthcare, and evangelization. He was convinced that the Church is called not only to preserve the past but also to build the future. In the final years of his life, he personally accompanied the growth of the Congregation, approving its Constitutions in 1928 and encouraging the Sisters in their vocation and mission.

The beatification of Blessed Elias Hoyek does not simply look to the past; it renews the relevance of a vocation lived in service. For all consecrated life, it is a reminder that an authentic charism continues to bear fruit when it remains rooted in the Gospel and responds creatively to the needs of each new generation.