Ibrahim (the monk’s name before joining monasticism) was born in Chbaniye (High Metn) in 1870, to his father, sheikh Khalil Sarkis, and his mother Marta Baaklini. He is the eldest in a family constituted, along with him, of three brothers: Chahine, Karam and Habib and two sisters: Mariam and Jamileh.

Since his early childhood, he chose the path of faith and worship and joined Naameh convent on the coast of Chouf.

After only a few weeks away from home, the family missed him a lot, especially his father “Abou Ibrahim” who decided, along with his mother, to head to Naameh, to meet the young boy and check up on him.

The parents sat alone with their child and the mother started asking her son how he’s doing. After a short dialogue, his mother told him that the family misses him a lot, especially his father, the farmer, who counted a lot on his help in tilling and grain cultivation.

Then she addressed to him the following question: “Don’t you want in this case to return with us to the village?” Ibrahim stood up in rejection addressing to his father and said: “When you put your hand on the plough and walk behind the bulls, do you look back or ahead?” and when the father replied “of course ahead”, he told him: “And I am doing so.

I have placed my hand on the plough of faith and I will never let go to look back…” Then the parents stood up and went back to their village.

The days and years went by well, and the year 1889 was a pivotal stage for Ibrahim who made his vows under the name of Genadios. In 1898 he was ordained as a priest.

After only ten years and so, he was appointed as general president of the Maronite Lebanese Order upon the request of the Holy See in Rome, from 1910 until 1913.

Fr. Genadios Sarkis occupied many clerical positions including: prelate and vicar general from 1913 until 1922, tutor for beginners from 1922 until 1927, President of Saint Elie Monastery, Kahlouniyeh, from 1938 until 1940 then prelate and vicar general from 1944 until 1950.

He had his final rest in the scent of holiness on July 15, 1964.