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, also known as Syriac Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, is an Eastern Catholic Christian church 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 has full autonomy and is a self-governed sui iuris church while it is in full communion with the Holy See of Rome.
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: the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Eastern Catholic churches and the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch.
Christianity in Lebanon has a long and continuous history. Biblical Scriptures purport that Peter and Paul evangelized the Phoenicians, whom they affiliated to the ancient patriarchate of Antioch. The spread of Christianity in Lebanon was very slow where paganism persisted especially in the mountaintop strongholds of Mount Lebanon. A 2015 study estimates some 2,500 Lebanese Christians have Muslim ancestry, whereas the majority of Lebanese Christians are direct descendants of the original early Christians.
Patriarch Moran Mor Anthony III Peter Khoraish, , was the 75th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and the Whole Levant from 1975 until his resignation in 1986, and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He 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 bishop of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli and 73rd Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1932 until his death in 1955.
Patriarch Moran Mor Bechara Boutros al-Rahi is the 77th Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, and head of the Maronite Church, a position he has held since March 15, 2011, succeeding Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. Rahi was made a cardinal on November 24, 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 Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Latakia or Latakia of the Maronites is an eparchy of the Maronite Catholic Church. In 2011 there were 35,000 members. It is governed by Eparch Antoine Chbeir.
The Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli is a non-Metropolitan Archeparchy of the Maronite Church in the north-west of Lebanon.
Antoine Joubeir was an Archeparch of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli in Lebanon.
Georges Bou-Jaoudé, CM is the current Maronite 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 Church, one of 23 such Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular churches in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. It is headed by Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi since 2011, seated in Bkerke northeast of Beirut, Lebanon. Officially known as the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch, it is part of Syriac Christianity by liturgy and heritage.