Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut

Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut
Bishopric
Syriac Orthodox Church
Incumbent: Clemis Daniel Malak Kourieh
Style	Archbishop His Eminence

The Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut is a nominally Metropolitan Archeparchy of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Lebanon. The incumbent metropolitan of Beirut is Mor Clemis Daniel Malak Kourieh. ^[1]

History

Syriac Orthodox Christians from Damascus and Aleppo took refuge at Beirut in the 19th century after insurrections. ^[2] More Syriac Orthodox Christians fled Eastern Turkey, particularly around Diyarbakır, to Beirut following the massacres in 1895 and the Sayfo. ^[2] About 50 Syriac Orthodox families moved from Aleppo to Beirut in 1932–1933. ^[3] The Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Mousaitbeh was consecrated in 1933 and principally served the Syriac Orthodox Christians who had moved there from Adana, Mardin, Diyarbakır, Qillath, and Tur Abdin. ^[4] From 1933, Beirut was part of the Archdiocese of Beirut and Damascus. ^[2] The Syriac Orthodox patriarchate was moved to Damascus in 1959 and Beirut became part of the archdiocese of Lebanon. ^[2]

The Patriarchal Vicariate of Mount Lebanon and the Patriarchal Vicariate of Zahle were split from the archdiocese in 1970. ^[5] The Patriarchal Vicariate of Zahle was merged with the archdiocese to form the Archdiocese of Beirut and Zahle in 1980. ^[5] The Church of Saint Aphrem at Achrafieh was constructed in 1993. ^[6] The Patriarchal Vicariate of Zahle was split from the archdiocese again in 1998. ^[7] By 2005, the archdiocese had 5 clergy. ^[8] The Church of Saint Aphrem at Achrafieh was damaged by the 2020 Beirut explosion. ^[9]

Ecclesiastical properties

The following ecclesiastical properties belong to the archdiocese: ^[1]

• Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Mousaitbeh
• Church of Saint Aphrem, Achrafieh

List of archbishops

The following is a list of incumbents of the see:

• Dionysius Behnam Jijawi (1959–1965) ^[5]
• Athanasius Aphrem Barsaum (1965–2008) ^{[10] [a]}
• Clemis Daniel Malak Kourieh (2009–present) ^[11]

References

Notes

1. Athanasius Aphrem Barsaum was patriarchal vicar in Beirut in 1964–1965. ^[10]

Citations

1. "Archdiocese of Beirut". Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch: Archdiocese of the Western United States. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
2. Chaillot (1998), p. 62.
3. Chaillot (1998), p. 37.
4. Dinno (2017), p. 281.
5. Fiey (1993), p. 180.
6. Chaillot (1998), p. 63.
7. "Constitution of the Syriac Orthodox Church". Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch: Archdiocese of the Western United States. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
8. "The Syriac Orthodox Church Today". Syriac Orthodox Resources. 20 November 2005. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
9. "Inspection of Damage at the Archdiocese of Beirut". Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
10. "Mor Athanasius Aphrem Barsaum (1932-2016)". Malankara Syriac Christian Resources. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
11. "Daniel Climis Kourieh". Orthodoxia. Retrieved 4 December 2025.

Bibliography

• Chaillot, Christine (1998). The Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East: A Brief Introduction to Its Life and Spirituality . Retrieved 19 November 2025.
• Dinno, Khalid S. (2017). The Syrian Orthodox Christians in the Late Ottoman Period and Beyond: Crisis then Revival. Gorgias Press. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
• Fiey, Jean Maurice (1993). Pour un Oriens Christianus Novus: Répertoire des diocèses syriaques orientaux et occidentaux (in French). Retrieved 13 June 2025.