Joseph Ragi El Khazen

Joseph IX El Khazen
(يوسف التاسع الخازن)
Patriarch of Antioch
Church Maronite Church
See Patriarch of Antioch
Elected August 18, 1845
Reign ended November 3, 1854
Predecessor Joseph Peter Hobaish
Successor Paul Peter Massad
Orders
Consecration April 6, 1830 (Bishop)
by Joseph Peter Hobaish
Personal details
Born 1791
Ajaltoun, Lebanon
Died 3 November 1854 (aged 62–63)
Dimane, Lebanon

Joseph IX Ragi El Khazen (1791–1854), (or Youssef El-Khazen, Gazen, Arabic: يوسف التاسع الخازن‎, Latin: Joseph Alchasen), was the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1845 until his death in 1854.

Life

Joseph Ragi El Khazen was born in the village of Ajaltoun, in the Keserwan District, Lebanon in 1791,[1] and he was a member of the Khazen family, which ruled the Keserwan District. The Khazen family had the privilege to nominate three Archbishops, including the one of Damascus. Thus Joseph El Khazen was appointed Archbishop of Damascus and so consecrated bishop on April 6, 1830 by the Maronite Patriarch Joseph Peter Hobaish.

When Patriarch Joseph Peter Hobaish died on May 23, 1845, Mount Lebanon was in the middle of the conflict between the Druze and Maronite communities after the so-called Double Qaimaqamate division of Lebanon. The bishops couldn't meet before August, and on August 18, 1845 they elected Joseph El Khazen as Patriach. The election was contested by some local peasants who were supporters of an other candidate, and Joseph El Khazan had to escape from Dimane to Zouk Mikael, where he took up his residence. The election was anyway confirmed by Pope Gregory XVI on January 19, 1846.

Joseph El Khazen had initially to face the adversities of the conflict, including the Ottoman military invasion and repression against the Maronites in North Lebanon.[2] He, who was of a mild disposition,[3] tried to easy the relation with the Great Britain (that supported the Druzes) and the Ottomans, so obtaining same relief for his people.[1] In 1850 he rescued same Christians form the persecution in Aleppo.

From a religious point of view, during his reign arose again the issue of confessions ministered outside the church-buildings, a use previously condemned by Rome, and again condemned by Rome on February 18, 1851.[4] Joseph El Khazen died on November 3, 1854[5] in the winter Maronite Catholic Patriarchate in Dimane, Kadisha Valley, Lebanon.[6]

Notes

  1. ^ a b K. Rizk (2003). "Khazen Joseph Ragi". Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques. 28. Paris: Letouzey et Ané. pp. 1424–1425. 
  2. ^ "The Maronite Patriarchs". Kobayat. http://www.kobayat.org/data/maronites/patriarchs.htm. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  3. ^ Leeuwen, Richard (1994). Notables and Clergy in Mount Lebanon: the Khazin Sheiks and the Maronite Church. Boston: Brill Academic Publishers. p. 242. ISBN 9789004099784. 
  4. ^ Dib, Pierre (2001). Histoire des Maronites: L' église maronite du XVIe siècle à nos jours, Volume 3. Libairie Orientale. pp. 234–235. ISBN 9789953170053. 
  5. ^ David M. Cheney. "Patriarch Youssef Al-Khazen". Catholic-hierarchy. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/balkh.html. Retrieved 4 February 2011. 
  6. ^ Dau, Butros (1984). Religious, cultural and political history of the Maronites. Lebanon. p. 726. http://books.google.com/books?id=7CbZAAAAMAAJ.