History
The Eparchy of Beirut is an ancient Byzantine one, elevated to the rank of archeparchy with the Council of Chalcedon in the fifth century.
The Greek Catholic Eparchy of Beirut was officially founded in 1724, after the Patriarch of Antioch was divided into two branches, the Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholic (or Melkite). [1]
In 1701, the Greek bishohop of Beirut, Sylvester Dahan, had sent to Rome a profession of the Catholic faith, renewed in the following year. Those were the years when Catholicism obtained great progress in the ranks of the Greeks in the cities of the Lebanese coast, where more entrenched was the presence of Christians of the Byzantine Rite, and this mainly thanks to the missionary work of the Jesuits and the Capuchins.
Great impetus to the spread of Catholicism in Beirut and in the surrounding areas was the founding of the Chouerites, that at the beginning of their history had most of the monasteries in Beirutian territory. Belonged to this Order was Athanasios Dahan, Catholic Bishop of Beirut and the future patriarch, who first organized the new Catholic diocese.
With his successor Basilios Jelghaf the cathedral was built on land owned by the Chouerites. A dispute between the Order and the Bishop Youssef Sarrouf about the real estate of the cathedral forced the Holy See to intervene to give reason to the Bishop (1784).
The bishop Agapios Riashi [4] was one of the most vocal opponents of the introduction of the Gregorian calendar desired by Patriarch Maximos III Mazloum. Riashi was responsible for the reconstruction of the cathedral in a more impressive and rich decorations including an iconostasis in marble. This church was demolished in the twentieth century for urban needs.
On the death of Agapios Riashi in 1878 the Melkite community is divided on the choice of his successor. The Chouerites, which so far had given all the bishops of Beirut, and they considered the seat as their fiefdom, lived a difficult time and had no monks prepared for the episcopate. Patriarch Gregory II Youssef was Damascene and Melkite Beirut feared that ended up imposing a native bishop of Damascus. Eventually prevailed to the Holy See, when Pope Leo XIII with his Papal brief Occasione electionis on August 16, 1881, chose Meletios Fakak transferring him from his see in Zahleh and appointing to new Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Jbeil. The former Eparchy of Beirut was elevated to the rank of the Archeparchy, uniting it to the seat of Jbeil (Byblos), formerly administered by the bishops of Beirut since 1802. Jbeil corresponds to the ancient Byzantine Diocese of Byblos, mentioned in the fourth century. Fakak made his solemn entry only September 30, 1882.
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. It is headed by Patriarch Youssef Absi, S.M.S.P., headquartered in Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition, Damascus, Syria. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, formerly part of Syria and now in Turkey, of the 1st century AD, where Christianity was introduced by Saint Peter.
The Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch is the only actual residential Patriarchate of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. It was formed in 1724 when a portion of the Orthodox Church of Antioch went into communion with Rome, becoming an Eastern Catholic Church, while the rest of the ancient Patriarchate continues in full communion with the rest of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. In 2012 there were 150,000 baptized. It is currently governed by Archeparch Issam John Darwich, BS.
The Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Saint Michael Archangel is based in Sydney suburb of Darlington, Australia. The eparchy is administered by Bishop Robert Rabbat. The Rt. Rev. Abdallah Sayegh is the current vicar general. The eparchy was established in March 1987.
The Byzantine Discalced Carmelites are communities of cloistered nuns and friars, belonging to several Eastern Catholic Churches – the Bulgarian Byzantine Catholic Church, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church, the Ordinariate for Eastern Catholics in France and the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, living committed to a life of prayer, according to the eremitic tradition and lifestyle of the Discalced Carmelites.
Ignatius IV (Youssef) Sarrouf was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in 1812. He is remembered for both his patriarchate, and for having been, as metropolitan of Beirut, a leading figure in the early history of the Melkite Church.
Theodosius V Dahan (1698–1788) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1761 to 1788.
Athanasius IV Ignace Michael Jawhar was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1788 to 1794. He previously claimed to be patriarch from 1759 to 1764 and from 1765 to 1768.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Akka is an Eastern Catholic diocese of Melkite Greek Catholic Church, directly subject to the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch. Its Cathedral episcopal see is St. Elijah Greek-Melkite Cathedral, in Haifa.
George Riashi was the Greek Melkite Catholic bishop of Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli and all North Lebanon.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Beirut is a Latin Rite missionary pre-diocesan exempt jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church in Lebanon, where otherwise Eastern Catholics are far more numerous. In 2010, there were 15,000 baptized. Its current Bishop is Cesar Essayan.
George Bacouni, or George Bakhouni, is the appointed Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Jbeil in Lebanon. He’s been elected Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Byblos (Lebanon) on 8 November 2018.
Joseph Kallas, SMSP is Emeritus Melkite Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Byblos.
Joseph Gébara is a Lebanese Catholic archeparch of the Byzantine Rite, and current Archeparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Petra and Philadelphia in Amman.
Grégoire Haddad in Arabic was, from 1968 to 1975, Archeparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Jbeil. He was known as the "Red Bishop of Beirut" promoting a secular "social movement" and a platform of rapprochement between Muslims and Christians with the onslaught of the Lebanese Civil War. He reinforced his controversial viewpoints through further secular movements and through Afaq magazine, which he founded. In 1975 under pressure from the Holy See, he resigned from active religious duty. Since his resignation, he became an emeritus archbishop without holding an actual diocese in Lebanon.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre is a metropolitan see of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. In 2009 there were 3,100 baptized. It is currently governed by Archeparch Michael Abrass, BA.
Jean Assaad Haddad is a Lebanese Melkite hierarch, who served as an Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre in Lebanon.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church suffragan of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre. In 2010 there were 32,000 baptized. It is currently governed by Archeparch Elie Bechara Haddad, BS.
Jean Bassoul, BS, also John Bassoul, was an archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol.
The main scenes from Marie's life. Reading from right to left : the Nativity of mary, Mary's parents (Joachim and Anne), the Presentation of Mary (with the annunciation in the background)
Reading from right to left : the Presentation of Mary (with the annunciation in the background), the annunciation, the crucifixion of Jesus
The Annunciation
The baptism of Jesus
