Born in 1875 in Ghazir, Lebanon, Abouna Yacoub spent his life in prayer and preaching the Good News in his service to the poor. He built over 200 Catholic schools with over 7 thousand students. Known as the Apostle of Lebanon, he has converted many non-believers throughout the western Middle East. After the 1914 war, he helped find orphanages, and worked with the French government to help widows and poor war refugees. Later he would assist with the care and education of orphans, the abandoned and crippled, and providing hospitalization to the poor.