Francis Mansour Zayek (October 18, 1920 – September 14, 2010) was an American Maronite Catholic prelate. Zayek was the founding bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, a diocese based in Brooklyn, New York covering the Maronite Church in the United States.[1]
Zayek was one of the last surviving bishops who had attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965 as a bishop.[1]
Zayek was born in Manzanillo, Cuba, on October 18, 1920.[1] He emigrated with his family from Cuba to Lebanon, then part of the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon, in 1931.[1] He studied at seminaries in both Lebanon and Rome, before being ordained a Maronite Catholic priest in Rome, Italy, on March 17, 1946.[1]
Zayek received a doctorate in canon law from a school in Rome.[1] Soon after completing his doctorate, Zayek was appointed to serve in the apostolic nunciature in Cairo, Egypt.[1] He returned to Rome, where he worked at the Roman Rota.[1]
Zayek was appointed the Bishop of the Maronite Church in Brazil on May 31, 1962, by Pope John XXIII. He was formally consecrated bishop at a ordination ceremony held in Dimane, Lebanon, on August 5, 1962.[1] He served as the Maronite bishop in Brazil until the mid-1960s.
Pope Paul VI established the Maronite Apostolic Exarchate of the United States on January 10, 1966. Pope Paul VI appointed Zayek as the Exarchate's first exarch and he was installed in Detroit on June 11, 1966.[1] Paul VI further elevated the Maronite Apostolic Exarchate to a full Eparchy, or diocese, on November 20, 1971. He appointed Zayek as the first, founding Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, which covers all Maronite Catholics in the United States.[1] Zayek was installed as its first bishop on June 4, 1972.[2] The seat of the Eparchy of St. Maron of was moved from Detroit to Brooklyn, New York, in 1977.[1]
Pope John Paul II elevated Bishop Zayek to archbishop on December 10, 1982.[1] He retired in 1996, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.[1] Zayek moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following his retirement. He worked at the Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church in Miami, Florida.[1]
Zayek's health began to falter later in life and he returned to Lebanon permanently late in 2009.[3] He died in Lebanon on September 14, 2010, at the age of 89.[1] he was survived by his sister, Lydia, of Lebanon; his brother, Elias, of Brazil; and several nieces and nephews.[1]
Bishop Gregory John Mansour, the current bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, wrote in reaction to Zayek's death, "The Maronite Church in the United States is deeply indebted to the archbishop for his zealous efforts in establishing the strong, vibrant Maronite community we have today...May Archbishop Zayek share in the glory of the Cross which we celebrate this day!"[1]