1- RAFQA in Himlaya (1832 - 1859):
Himlaya village
Saint Rafqa was born in Himlaya, one of the villages of Northern Metn near Bikfaya, on June 29th, 1832.
She was the only child of Saber El-Choboq El Rayess and Rafqa Gemayel.
On July 7th, 1832, she was baptized and named Boutroussieh.
Her parents taught her to love God and pray daily. At the age of seven, she suffered her first great loss with the death of her mother.
In 1843, her father experienced financial difficulties and sent her to work as a servant for four years in Damascus at the home of Assaad Al-Badawi, of the Lebanese Nationality. Rafqa became a beautiful, pleasant, humorous young woman, pure and tender with a serene voice.
In 1847, she came back home to find that her father had remarried. His new wife wanted Rafqa to marry her brother. A conflict developed when her aunt tried also to arrange a marriage between her son and Rafqa.
So Rafqa asked God to help Her and clear Her thoughts. Thus, Her decision, to devo