Joseph Nafaa (born March 14, 1969, in Andket, near Tripoli, Lebanon) is a clergyman of the Maronite Church and Curial Bishop of the Patriarchate of Antioch.
Joseph Nafaa received on 14 September 1995 the sacrament of Holy Orders for the Archeparchy of Tripoli. [1]
The Synod of the Maronite Church of Antioch chose him as Curial Bishop to the Patriarchate. Pope Francis confirmed his election on June 17, 2016, and named him Titular Bishop of Aradus. [1]
His episcopal ordination was performed by the patriarch of Antioch, Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, on August 3, 2016, and his co-consecrators were Georges Bou-Jaoudé and Paul Nabil El-Sayah.
On 17 Jun 2017 Nafaa was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Joubbé Lebanon.
The Syriac Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Christian jurisdiction originating in the Levant that uses the West Syriac Rite liturgy and has many practices and rites in common with the Syriac Orthodox Church. Being one of the twenty-three Eastern Catholic Churches, the Syriac Catholic Church is a self-governed sui iuris particular church, while it is in full communion with the Holy See and with the entirety of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in Pauline Christianity from its earliest period. This diocese is one of the few for which the names of its bishops from the apostolic beginnings have been preserved. Today five churches use the title of patriarch of Antioch: one Eastern Orthodox ; one Oriental Orthodox ; and three Eastern Catholic.
Christianity has a long and continuous history in Lebanon. Biblical scriptures show that Peter and Paul evangelized the Phoenicians, leading to the dawn of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch. As such, Christianity in Lebanon is as old as Christian faith itself. Christianity spread slowly in Lebanon due to pagans who resisted conversion, but it ultimately spread throughout the country. Even after centuries of living under Muslim Empires, Christianity remains the dominant faith of the Mount Lebanon region and has substantial communities elsewhere.
Anthony III Peter Khoraish, , was the 75th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and the Whole Levant from 1975 until his resignation in 1986. He was made a cardinal in 1983 and died on August 19, 1994.
Demetrius I Qadi was Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1919 until 1925.
Anthony II Peter Arida was the 73rd Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1932 until his death in 1955. He was previously Archeparch of Tripoli.
Bechara Boutros Al-Ra'i is the 77th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, and head of the Maronite Church, a position he has held since 15 March 2011, succeeding Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. Rahi was made a cardinal on 24 November 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.
Paul Nabil El-Sayah is an Archeparch of the Maronite Church and Curial Bishop of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch.
Moussa El-Hage, is a Maronite Catholic eparch, now Archbishop of the Archeparchy of Haifa and the Holy Land and Patriarchal Exarch of Jerusalem and Palestine and Jordan.
The Eparchy of Latakia or Latakia of the Maronites is a Maronite Church ecclesiastical territory or eparchy of the Catholic Church in Syria. As of 2011, there were 35,000 members. The current eparch is Antoine Chbeir.
Antoine Joubeir was an Archeparch of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli in Lebanon.
Georges Bou-Jaoudé, CM was a Maronite Catholic hierarch, who served as archbishop of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli in Lebanon.
Joseph Mouawad is the current eparch of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Zahleh in Lebanon.
Hanna Alwan, MLM is Curial bishop of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch.
Antoine Nabil Andari is Curial Bishop of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and Auxiliary Bishop to Jounieh.
Paul (Boulos) Abdel Sater is a Curial bishop of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch.
Samir Mazloum is an Emeritus Curial bishop of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch.
Roland Aboujaoudé was a Lebanese Catholic Maronite eparch of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch.
The Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. The head of the Maronite Church is Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, who was elected in March 2011 following the resignation of Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. The seat of the Maronite Patriarchate is in Bkerke, northeast of Beirut, Lebanon. Officially known as the Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church, it is part of Syriac Christianity by liturgy and heritage.