Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol (Melkite Greek) Mariamnensis Graecorum Melkitarum | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Statistics | |
| Population - Catholics | (as of 2012) 150,000 |
| Parishes | 39 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Melkite Greek Catholic Church |
| Rite | Byzantine Rite |
| Established | 1964 |
| Cathedral | Our Lady of Liberation Cathedral |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Patriarch | Youssef Absi |
| Archeparch | Ibrahim M. Ibrahim |
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol [1] (in Latin: Mariamnensis Graecorum Melkitarum) is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.
In 2012 there were 150,000 baptized. It is currently governed by Archeparch Ibrahim M. Ibrahim, BS. [2]
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The archeparchy includes most of the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. Its archeparchial seat is the city of Zahleh, where is located the Cathedral of Our Lady of Deliverance, built in the 18th century. The territory is divided into 39 parishes and there were 150,000 Melkite Catholics in 2012.
| | This section needs additional citations for verification .(December 2017) |
The Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol is a Greco-Melchite archeparchy in the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon and has its origins in the 5th century. In the seventeenth, or perhaps in the 16th century, the diocese of Seleucia Pieria was for greater safety transferred by the Patriarch of Antioch to Maaloula in the Lebanon. The reason of this transfer was forgotten at a later date, and a town of "Seleucia Libani" was invented and identified with Maaloula, though such a town never existed.
When the see was transferred from Maaloula to Forzol, the title of Seleucia accompanied it. The Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol has been in communion with Rome since 1724, when the bishop Efthymios Fadel Maalouly proclaimed its union with the Holy See, thus “leaving the fold” of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch. In 1727, the headquarters was moved to Zahle, which became the capital of the region of the Bekaa, but it was only a nominal measure.[ clarification needed ] The transfer had already taken place in 1760, for the Catholic titular Euthymius Fadel of Malouli then signed as Bishop of Forzol and Beqaa. [3] In 1774, the headquarters of the eparchy was moved permanently to Zahleh.
In October 1790, a Catholic bishop of Zahlé assisted at a council held in the Convent of Saint-Sauveur. [4] The Diocese of Zahle is identical with that of Forzol, under which name it often appears. Since the 1849 Council of Jerusalem, the bishop bears the titles of Forzol, Zahle, and Beqaa. Since 1768 his residence has been at Zahle. [5]
In the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch the bishop always bears the title of Seleucia. Zahle itself dates only from the end of the seventeenth century, when Catholics fled thither in great numbers, the locality being under the protection of the emirs of Lebanese, by whom they were protected from Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and from the Muslims.
Gradually the place grew larger; as of 1913 it was a city of about 20,000 inhabitants, nearly all Melkite Greek Catholics. In 1860 the Druzes destroyed 2000 houses, and several Christians were massacred, among them four Jesuits. There are to-day a Jesuit residence and a school, similarly a residence and a school in the Molallaqa quarter. [2]
The diocese comprises 30,000 Catholics, forty seven priests, thirty three churches and chapels, nine primary schools, three convents of Salvatorians, Alepins, and of Chouerites, with forty three religious. [6]
On 18 November 1964, Pope Paul VI elevated the eparchy to the rank of archeparchy. [7] [8]
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.
Euthymius Fadel of Ma’loula was bishop of Zahle and Forzol of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and took a preeminent part in the 1724 split of the Melkite Church.
The Archeparchy of Beirut and Byblos is a metropolitan eparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church since 1881, an Eastern Catholic church in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Located in Lebanon, it includes the cities of Beirut and Byblos, and in terms of population, it is the largest Melkite eparchy in the Middle East. Its current Eparch, Georges Wadih Bacouni, S.M.S.P., was elected in November 2018.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Akka is an Eastern Catholic diocese of Melkite Greek Catholic Church, directly subject to the Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch. Its Cathedral episcopal see is St. Elijah Greek-Melkite Cathedral, in Haifa.
Philippe Nabaa was Archeparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Byblos.
Issam John Darwich, BS, was Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol in Lebanon from 2011 to 2021.
Georges Nicolas Haddad, SMSP is the current bishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Baniyas, Lebanon.
Jean-Abdo Arbach, B.C., is the current archeparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Homs, Hama and Yabroud.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Baniyas is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church suffragan of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre. In 2009 there were 2,500 baptized. It is currently governed by Archeparch Georges Nicholas Haddad, SMSP. The Archeparchy is named after the city of Baniyas in the Golan Heights at the foot of Mount Hermon.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Bosra and Hauran is an archeparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church with its territory located in Syria. It is currently governed by Archeparch Nicolas Antiba, BA.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo is an archeparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church located in Syria, based in Aleppo. Its current archeparch is Jean-Clément Jeanbart.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church suffragan of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre. It is governed by Archeparch Eduard Daher, BC.
Eduard Georges Daher, B.C., is the current Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli.
Augustin Farah was an archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli and the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church suffragan of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre. It is governed by Archeparch Elie Bechara Haddad. The territory is made up of 53 parishes and, as of 2010, 32,000 Melkite Catholics.
André Haddad, BS was an archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol.
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Homs is a nominally Metropolitan Archeparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in central Syria. It was established on March 4, 1849 and has no suffragan, but two merged-in eparchial titles.
Ambroise Abdo was a bishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Jerusalem and Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol.
Georges Scandar was the first eparch of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Zahleh and a former eparch of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Baalbek and Zahleh.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Forzol and zahle". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company.
