In October, National Geographic featured a story about a Colombian hermit living in Lebanon. The 83-year-old
monk from Colombia is named
. He has been living in Our Lady of Hawqa Monastery for 17 years. According to
, Father Escobar will emerge from his confine in the Qadisha Valley and meet people. This is truly a one of a kind opportunity since not a lot of people manage to meet him, and others are not physically able to make the trip to the monastery. The sacred valley of Lebanon has been a popular destination for believers who specifically visit the valley to get a chance to meet the Colombian hermit. The sanctuary receives a lot of visitors during the summer who are curious to meet the hermit that came all the way from Colombia. They also come to light candles, pray, and ask for the blessing of Father Escobar.
About Father Dario Escobar
Back in Miami, he heard from a Maronite priest about the history of the Qadisha Valley that has always been a place of refuge and serenity for Christians. So, he decided to come to Lebanon and be a hermit. In fact, he waited for ten years to get the blessing of superiors at the Monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya to take up this life. The life of Father Escobar is simple. He is vegetarian, and he cultivates vegetables from his garden. Also, he prays for 13 hours a day. He dedicates 3 hours to work, two hours to study, and five hours to sleep.
