Lebanese Singer Rabih Khawli Becomes A Monk

The Lebanese singer, Khawli, 38, who made the announcement on Friday, has joined the Deir Kfifan Monastery near Batroun.  

Shortly after making the announcement, Khawli distributed his possessions among his friends, family and philanthropic societies. After re-assuming his real first name, Tony, Khawli explained that his call was sincere and that he received it during a recent sojourn at a monastery.  

He said he had gone to the monastery in the first place to verify “the genuineness” of his call. Khawli’s friends said his decision sprang from a pure conviction and was unrelated to “family, emotional or social pressures.”  

Khawli started his career as a singer in 1980 after winning a singing competition in the amateur television show Studio al-Fann.  

His last public appearance was on Saturday, when he took part in celebrating a mass at the Freres Monastery in Faraya. Khawli looked clean-shaven, with short-cut hair and wore a ragged robe and a large rosary around his neck--The Daily Star (Lebanon). 

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