[NYer]

Isn't there a shrine devoted to St. Charbel in one of our midwestern states (Ohio, perhaps)?

There are several parishes named for St. Charbel but the shrine in Ohio is dedicated to Our Lady of Lebanon.

The crowning point of the shrine is the full size replica of the Our Lady of Lebanon statute in Harissa, Lebanon.  The tower, weighing some 3700 tons, is 50 feet high with a 4 1/2 foot, 2 ton pedestal on top.  Atop the pedestal, made out of North Carolina pink granite is the 12 foot, 7 1/2 ton statue of Our Lady of Lebanon.  The wrapping staircase is 64 steps long, one step for each prayer of the rosary. 

According to the shrine's history, when the workmen were using a crane to lift the statue into place atop the pedestal, a large cloud overhead cycled through a rainbow of colors, which even the non-Catholic workers on the site took as a sign of divine approval of the shrine.

Looking down from the statute towards the street, you see a landscaped scene of two hearts, an M for Mary and a cross.

Closer to the scene, you'll notice the heart on the left represents the Sacred Heart of Christ with the crown of thorns of the passion and the heart on the right represents, with the sword piercing it, the sorrowful heart of the Virgin Mary at Calvary.

The Ohio shrine is modeled after the original one in Harissa, Lebanon, at the patriarchal see of the Maronite Catholic Church.

[livius]

Thank you! That's the one I was thinking of - when I lived in PA, years ago, one of our Byzantine rite parishes made a pilgrimage to this shrine. I couldn't go, unfortunately (small children at home!).

[Nihil Obstat]

thank you for that post and pictures - what town in Ohio is that?

>>>>Looking down from the statue towards the street, you see a landscaped scene of two hearts, an M for Mary and a cross.<<<

that is the back side of the Miraculous Medal, given from the visitation of Our Lady of Grace to Saint Catherine LaBoure - http://www.miraclerosarymission.org/saint1.htm