| His Beatitude Paul Peter Meouchi (بولس الثاني بطرس المعوشي) |
|
|---|---|
| Patriarch of Antioch | |
| Church | Maronite Church |
| See | Patriarch of Antioch |
| Elected | May 25, 1955 |
| Reign ended | January 11, 1975 |
| Predecessor | Anthony Peter Arida |
| Successor | Cardinal Anthony Peter Khoraish |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | December 7, 1917 (Priest) |
| Consecration | December 8, 1934 (Bishop) by Anthony Peter Arida |
| Created Cardinal | February 22, 1965 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1, 1894 Jezzine, Lebanon |
| Died | January 11, 1975 (aged 80) Bkerké, Lebanon |
Patriarch Cardinal Paul II Peter Meouchi (1894–1975), (or Boulos Boutros el-Meouchi, Meoushi, Arabic: بولس الثاني بطرس المعوشي) was the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1955 until his death in 1975, and the first Maronite Cardinal.
Paul Peter Meouchi was born in Jezzine, Lebanon on April 1, 1894. His studied at the College de la Sagesse and later in Rome in the College of the Propaganda and at the Pontifical Gregorian University.[1]
He was ordinated priest in Rome on December 7, 1917 and served as secretary of the Maronite bishops of Saida and of Tyre. After having attended a visitation of the bishop of Tyre in the United States in 1920, he remained in the United States till 1934, serving the Maronite communities particularly in Indiana, Connecticut and California.
He was elected Maronite bishop of Tyre in 1934 and consecrated bishop on December 8, 1934 at Bkerké by Patriarch Anthony Peter Arida.[2] He chose as episcopal motto Gloria Libani data est ei.[1]
Paul Peter Meouchi was elected patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites on May 25, 1955. He attended the Second Vatican Council, 1962–1965, where he took a stand to defend the rights of Patriarchs to discourage the emigration of Christians from the Middle East.[3] On February 22, 1965 he was created Cardinal by Pope Paul VI, being the first Maronite to became cardinal.[4]
From a political point of view, his action as Patriarch of the Maronite was intended to promote the reconciliation among all the Lebanese, both Christians and Muslims. He was a supporter of the Arab nationalism, thus standing in opposition to the pro-USA former president of Lebanon Camille Chamoun.[3]
He died on January 11, 1975 in the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate in Bkerké, Lebanon, where he was buried.
Home Video of Patriarch Meouchi in Los Angeles 1962