Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch

Patriarchate of the Catholic Church

Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch

Catholic

Patriarch Youssef Absi
Coat of arms
Incumbent: Youssef Absi elected June 21, 2017
Location
Headquarters	Dormition, Damascus, Syria
Information
First holder	Cyril VI Tanas
Denomination	Eastern Catholic
Established	1724 (Current Form)
Cathedral	Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition
Bishops emeritus	Gregory III Laham
Website
www.melkitepat.org

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v t e

The Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch is the only actual residential Patriarchate of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (Eastern Catholic, Byzantine Rite). 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.

The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch's present complete title is Patriarch of Antioch and of All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, incorporating both of the church's other titular patriarchates.^[1]

Its archiepiscopal see is the Cathedral of the Dormition of Our Lady (Arabic: كاتدرائية سيدة النياح للروم الملكيين في دمشق ) in Damascus, Syria. It was visited by Pope John Paul II in 2001.^[2]

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church claims to be one of five churches that are continuations of the original See of Antioch. Thus, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church believes it traces its existence all the way back to Saint Peter in a line of apostolic succession acknowledged by both Catholic and Orthodox canons. This claim is accepted by the Holy See and is not disputed by the other two Eastern Catholic Churches that also claim descent from the ancient See of Antioch, namely the Maronite Church^[3] and the Syriac Catholic Church,^[4] which both also have Patriarchs of Antioch.

Proper province and archdiocese

The Patriarch also holds the office of Metropolitan of an empty Ecclesiastical province without an actual suffragan see, actually comprising only his proper Metropolitan Archeparchy of Damascus (of the Melkites)/ Damasco (Curiate Italian) / Dimašq / Aš-Šām / Damascen(us) Græcorum Melkitarum (Latin). Like the Patriarchate, in Rome it depends only upon the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

During a vacancy in the Patriarchate (such as following the resignation of Gregory III Laham in 2017), the bishop of the permanent synod who is most senior by ordination serves as administrator in chief of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.

As per 2014, it pastorally served 3,000 Catholics in 8 parishes and 1 mission with 9 priests (6 diocesan, 3 religious), 3 deacons, 33 lay religious (3 brothers, 30 sisters) and 10 seminarians.

Titular Patriarchates of Alexandria and of Jerusalem

In continuation of the earlier Melkite patriarchates of those ancient sees, two titular patriarchates exist, which are however simply titles, vested in the residential Patriarch of Antioch, which also have Catholic residential counterparts:

Melkite Catholic Titular Patriarch of Alexandria
Melkite Catholic Titular Patriarch of Jerusalem

List of Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem

Cyril VI Tanas (born Syria) (1724.10.01 – death 1759.07.08)
Athanasius IV Jawhar ([Jaouhar]) (born Syria) first term (1759.07.19 – 1760.08.01), next Eparch (Bishop) of Saida of the Greek-Melkites (Lebanon) (1761 – 1788.05.05 see below)
Maximos II Hakim (born Syria), Basilian Chouerite Order of Saint John the Baptist (B.C.) (1760.08.01 – death 1761.11.15); previously Archeparch (Archbishop) of Aleppo of the Greek-Melkites (Syria) (1732 – 1760.08.01)
Theodosius V Dahan (born Syria), B.C. (1761.12.24 – death 1788.04.10), previously Metropolitan Archeparch (Archbishop) of Beirut of the Greek-Melkites (Lebanon) (1736 – 1761.12.24)
Athanasius IV Jawhar second term (see above 1788.05.05 – death 1794.12.02)
Cyril VII Siaj (born Syria) (1794.12.11 – death 1796.08.06), previously Metropolitan Archbishop of Bosra of the Greek-Melkites (Syria) (1763 – 1794.12.11)
Agapius II Matar (born Syria), B.S. (1796.09.11 – 1812.02.02), previously Superior General of Basilian Order of the Most Holy Saviour (B.S., Salvatorian Fathers) (1789 – 1795), Eparch (Bishop) of Saïdā of the Greek-Melkites (Lebanon) (1795 – 1796.09.11)
Ignatius IV Sarrouf (born Syria) (1812)
Athanasius V Matar (born Syria) (1813)
Macarius IV Tawil (born Syria) (1813–1815)
Ignatius V Qattan (born Syria) (1816–1833)
Maximos III Mazloum (born Syria) (1833–1855)
Clement Bahouth (born Egypt) (1856–1864)
Gregory II Youssef-Sayur (born Egypt) (1864–1897)
Peter IV Jaraijiry (born Lebanon) (1898–1902)
Cyril VIII Geha (born Syria) (1902–1916)
- vacant (1916–1919)
Demetrius I Qadi (born Syria) (March 29, 1919 – October 25, 1925)
Cyril IX Moghabghab (born Lebanon) (December 8, 1925 – September 8, 1947)
Maximos IV Sayegh (born Syria) (October 30, 1947 – November 5, 1967)
Maximos V Hakim (born Egypt) (November 22, 1967 – November 22, 2000)
- Jean Assaad Haddad as Apostolic Administrator (June 6, 2000 – November 29, 2000)
Gregory III Laham (born Syria) (November 29, 2000 – May 6, 2017)
- Jean-Clément Jeanbart as Administrator (May 6, 2017 – June 21, 2017)
Youssef I Absi (born Syria) (June 21, 2017 – present)

Auxiliary Episcopate of the See of Antioch

Auxiliary Bishop: François Abou Mokh, B.S. (1996 – 1998.07.27)
Auxiliary Bishop: Isidore Battikha, B.A. (66) (1992.08.25 – 2006.02.09)
Auxiliary Bishop: Jean Mansour, M.S.P. (1980.08.19 – 1997)
Auxiliary Bishop: François Abou Mokh, B.S. (1978.02.07 – 1992)
Auxiliary Bishop: Élias Nijmé, B.A. (1971.08.16 – 1978.02.07)
Auxiliary Bishop: Saba Youakim, B.S. (1968.09.09 – 1970.10.15)
Auxiliary Bishop: Nicolas Hajj (1965.07.30 – 1984.11.03)
Auxiliary Bishop: Néophytos Edelby, Basilian Aleppian Order (B.A.) (1961.12.24 – 1968.03.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Pierre Kamel Medawar, Society of Missionaries of Saint Paul (M.S.P.) (1943.03.13 – 1969)

Gallery

Maximos III Mazloum
Gregory II Youssef
Peter IV Jeraigiry
Cyril VIII Geha
Demetrius I Qadi
Maximos V Hakim
Gregory III Laham
Youssef Absi

References

^ "Melkite :: Patriarch".
^ "Pope John Paul II in Greece, Syria, and Malta (4-9 May 2001) | EWTN". EWTN Global Catholic Television Network.
^ "The Maronites First Patriarch". January 30, 2009. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009.
^ The Syriac Catholic Church: History Archived 2008-06-03 at the Wayback Machine

Sources and external links

List of the Melkite Patriarchs of Antioch from Melkite Church official website
GCatholic.org - Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch
GCatholic - Patriarchal proper Metropolitan Archeparchy of Damascus
History of Melkite Church including Cannons regarding Reunion with Rome and the legal continuation of the See of Antioch.
Legal circumstances of union with Rome.
Catholic Hierarchy entry

v t e Melkite Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite
Patriarchs	Cyril VI Tanas Athanasius IV Jawhar Maximos II Hakim Theodosius V Dahan Athanasius IV Jawhar Cyril VII Siaj Agapius II Matar Ignatius IV Sarrouf Athanasius V Matar Macarius IV Tawil Ignatius V Qattan Maximos III Mazloum Clement Bahouth Gregory II Youssef Peter IV Geraigiry Cyril VIII Geha Demetrius I Qadi Cyril IX Moghabghab Maximos IV Sayegh Maximos V Hakim Gregory III Laham Youssef I Absi
Eparchies	Archeparchy of Damascus Archeparchy of Aleppo Archeparchy of Bosra-Hauran Archeparchy of Homs Archeparchy of Latakia Archeparchy of Tyre Archeparchy of Beirut and Byblos Archeparchy of Baalbek Archeparchy of Baniyas Archeparchy of Sidon Archeparchy of Tripoli Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol Archeparchy of Petra and Philadelphia in Amman Archeparchy of Akka Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Jerusalem Patriarchal Exarchate of Iraq Patriarchal Exarchate of Kuwait Patriarchal Dependent Territory of Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan Patriarchal Exarchate of Istanbul Eparchy of Newton Eparchy of Saint-Sauveur of Montréal Eparchy of Nuestra Señora del Paraíso in Mexico City Eparchy of Nossa Senhora do Paraíso em São Paulo Apostolic Exarchate of Argentina Apostolic Exarchate of Venezuela Eparchy of Saint Michael Archangel in Sydney
Churches	Cathedrals: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition, Damascus St. Elias Cathedral, Beirut St. George's Cathedral, Amman St. Elijah Cathedral, Haifa Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Jerusalem Annunciation Cathedral, Boston St. Anne's Cathedral, Los Angeles Saint Sauveur Cathedral, Montréal Porta Coeli Cathedral, Mexico City Our Lady of Paradise Cathedral, São Paulo St. George's Cathedral, Caracas Churches: Sts Peter and Paul Church, Ottawa St. Peter and St. Paul Church, Shefa-Amr Synagogue Church, Nazareth St. George's Church, Milwaukee St. Jude's Church, Miami Chapel of Saint Paul, Damascus Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, Paris Shrine: Our Lady of Awaiting
Religious institutes	Basilian Aleppian Order Basilian Aleppian Sisters Basilian Chouerite Order of Saint John the Baptist Basilian Chouerite Sisters Basilian Salvatorian Order
See also	Mariam Baouardy Lebanese Melkite Christians
Catholic Church portal

v t e List of Patriarchs of Antioch
Of the Church of Antioch before 518
Peter I (c. 37 – c. 53) Evodius (c. 53 – c. 69) Ignatius (c. 70 – c. 107) Herodion (107–127) Cornelius (127–154) Eros (154–169) Theophilus (c. 169 – c. 182) Maximus I (182–191) Serapion (191–211) Ascelpiades (211–220) Philetus (220–231) Zebinnus (231–237) Babylas (237–ca. 250) Fabius (253–256) Demetrius (c. 256–?) Paul of Samosata (260–268) Domnus I (268–273) Timaeus (273–282) Cyril I (283–303) Tyrannus (304–314) Vitalis (314–320) Philogonus (320–323) Eustathius (324–330) Paulinus I (330) Eulalius (331–332) Euphronius (332–333) Flacillus (333–342) Stephen I (342–344) Leontius (344–358) Eudoxius (358–359) Annanios (359) Meletius (360–361)
Homoian group	Euzoius (361–378) Dorotheus (378–381)
Meletian group	Meletius (362–381) Flavian I (381–404) Porphyrus (404–412) Alexander (412–417)
Eustathian group	Paulinus II (362–388) Evagrius (388–393)
Apollonarist group	Vitalis (376–?)
Theodotus (417–428) John I (428–442) Domnus II (442–449) Maximus II (449–455) Basil (456–458) Acacius (458–461) Martyrius (461–469) Peter II (469–471) Julian (471–476) Peter II (476) John II Codonatus (476–477) Stephen II (477–479) Callandion (479–485) Peter II (485–488) Palladius (488–498) Flavian II (498–512) Severus I (512–518)
Christianity portal

v t e Patriarchs of Alexandria
Patriarchs prior to the Chalcedonian schism (43–451)	Mark I the Evangelist (founder) Anianus Avilius Kedronos Primus Justus Eumenius Markianos* Celadion Agrippinus Julian Demetrius I Heraclas Dionysius Maximus Theonas Peter I Achillas Alexander I Athanasius I Peter II Timothy I Theophilus I Cyril I Dioscorus I
Coptic Orthodox Popes and Patriarchs (451–present)	Timothy II Peter III Athanasius II John I John II Dioscorus II Timothy III Theodosius I Peter IV Damian Anastasius Andronicus Benjamin I Agathon John III Isaac Simeon I Alexander II Cosmas I Theodore I Michael I Mina I John IV Mark II James Simeon II Joseph I Michael II Cosmas II Shenouda I Michael III Gabriel I Cosmas III Macarius I Theophilus II Mina II Abraham Philotheos Zacharias Shenouda II Christodoulos Cyril II Michael IV Macarius II Gabriel II Michael V John V Mark III John VI Cyril III Athanasius III John VII Gabriel III John VII Theodosius III John VIII John IX Benjamin II Peter V Mark IV John X Gabriel IV Matthew I Gabriel V John XI Matthew II Gabriel VI Michael VI John XII John XIII Gabriel VII John XIV Gabriel VIII Mark V John XV Matthew III Mark VI Matthew IV John XVI Peter VI John XVII Mark VII John XVIII Mark VIII Peter VII Cyril IV Demetrius II Cyril V John XIX Macarius III Joseph II Cyril VI Shenouda III Tawadros II (current)
Greek Orthodox Popes and Patriarchs (451–present)	Proterius Timothy II Timothy III John I Peter III Athanasius II John II John III Dioscorus II Timothy IV Theodosius I Gaianus Paul Zoilus Apollinarius John IV Eulogius Theodore I John V George I Cyrus Peter IV Peter V Peter VI Cosmas I Politianus Eustatius Christopher I Sophronius I Michael I Michael II Christodoulos Eutychius Sophronius II Isaac Job Elias I Arsenius Theophilus II George II Leontius Alexander II John VI Cyril II Sabbas Sophronius III Elias II Eleutherius Mark III* Nicholas I Gregory I Nicholas II Athanasius III Gregory II Gregory III Niphon Mark IV Nicholas III Gregory IV Nicholas IV Athanasius IV Mark V Philotheus Mark VI Gregory V Joachim I Silvester Meletius I Pegas Cyril III Gerasimus I Metrophanes Nicephorus Joannicius Paisius Parthenius I Gerasimus II Samuel Cosmas II Cosmas III Matthew Cyprian Gerasimus III Parthenius II Theophilus III Hierotheus I Artemius Hierotheus II Callinicus Jacob Nicanor Nilus Sophronius IV Photius Meletius II Nicholas V Christopher II Nicholas VI Parthenius III Peter VII Theodore II (current)
Latin Catholic (1276–1954)	Atanasio (Athanasius) Egidio da Ferrara (Giles) ?Humbert II, Dauphin of Vienne Juan (John) Guillaume de Chanac Arnaud Bernard du Pouget (Arnaldo Bernardi) uncanonical Jean de Cardaillac Pietro Amely di Brunac ? Johannes Walteri von Sinten uncanonical Simon of Cramaud Pietro Amely di Brunac Leonardo Dolfin Ugo Roberti Pietro Amaury di Lordat Lancelotus de Navarra Giovanni Contarini Pietro Vitalis di Mauléon Giovanni Vitelleschi Marco Condulmer Jean d'Harcourt Arnaldo Rogerii de Palas Pedro de Urrea Pedro González de Mendoza Diego Hurtado de Mendoza Alonso de Fonseca y Acevedo Bernardino Carafa Cesare Riario Guido Ascanio Sforza di Santa Fiora Ottaviano Maria Sforza Julius Gonzaga Cristoforo Guidalotti Ciocchi del Monte Jacques Cortès Tommaso Alessandro Riario Enrico Caetani Giovanni Battista Albani Camillo Caetani Séraphin Olivier-Razali Alessandro di Sangro Honoratus Caetani Federico Borromeo Allesandro Crescenzi Aloysius Bevilacqua Petrus Draghi Bartoli Gregorio Giuseppe Gaetani de Aragonia Carlo Ambrosio Mezzabarba Filippo Carlo Spada Girolamo Crispi Giuseppe Antonio Davanzati Lodovico Agnello Anastasi Francisco Mattei Augustus Foscolo Paolo Angelo Ballerini Domenico Marinangeli Paolo de Huyn Luca Ermenegildo Pasetto
Melkite Catholic (1724–present)	Cyril VI Tanas Athanasius IV Jawhar Maximos II Hakim Theodosius V Dahan Athanasius IV Jawhar Cyril VII Siaj Agapius II Matar Ignatius IV Sarrouf Athanasius V Matar Macarius IV Tawil Ignatius V Qattan Maximos III Mazloum Clement Bahouth Gregory II Youssef-Sayur Peter IV Geraigiry Cyril VIII Geha Demetrius I Qadi Cyril IX Moghabghab Maximos IV Sayegh Maximos V Hakim Gregory III Laham Youssef I Absi
Coptic Catholic (1824–present)	Maximos Jouwed Kyrillos Makarios Stéphanos I Sidarouss Stéphanos II Ghattas Antonios I Naguib Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak
*Markianos is considered Mark II on the Greek side of the subsequent schism, hence this numbering of Mark III. Category Commons

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Patriarch of Constantinople (451)	Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (since 330) Latin Patriarchate of Constantinople (1204–1964) Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople (since 1461)
Patriarch of Antioch (1st cent.)	Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch (since 518) Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch (since 519) Maronite Patriarchate (since 685) Syriac Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch (since 1668) Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch (since 1724) Latin Patriarchate of Antioch (1099–1964)
Patriarch of Alexandria (1st cent.)	Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria (since 451) Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria (since 451) Latin Patriarchate of Alexandria (1219–1964) Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria (since 1824)
Patriarch of Jerusalem (451)	Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem (since 451) Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem (since 638) Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (since 1099)

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Patriarch of Carthage (2nd cent.–1076)	Latin Catholic titular episcopate (1518–1964) Archbishop of Tunis (since 1884)
Patriarch of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (280–1552)	Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Baghdad (since 1553) Assyrian Church of the East Patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (since 1830) Ancient Church of the East Patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (since 1968)
Patriarch of Armenia (301)	Catholicos of All Armenians (Patriarch of Etchmiadzin) (since 301) Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia (since 1058) Patriarchate of Cilicia (since 1742)

Middle Ages
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Patriarchate of Aquileia (568–1751)
Patriarchate of Grado (725–1451)
Patriarchate of Bulgaria (since 919)
Patriarchate of Georgia (since 1010)
Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate of Peć (since 1346)
Patriarchate of Venice (since 1451)

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Patriarchate of the West Indies (since 1524)
Latin Patriarchate of Ethiopia (1555–1663)
Patriarchate of the East Indies (since 1572)
Patriarchate of Moscow (since 1589)
Patriarchate of Lisbon (since 1716)

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(since 1789)

Patriarchate of Romania (since 1925)
Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate of Ethiopia (since 1959)
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