Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Homs
| Archeparchy of Syria (Melkite Greek) Archeparchy Hemesena Graecorum Melkitarum-Epiphaniensis-Iabrudensis | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Syria |
| Statistics | |
| Population - Catholics |
(as of 2010) 30,000 |
| Parishes | 21 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Melkite Greek Catholic Church |
| Rite | Byzantine Rite |
| Established | 1849 |
| Cathedral | Our Lady of Peace Cathedral |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Patriarch | Gregory III Laham |
| Archeparch | Jean-Abdo Arbach |
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Homs[1] (in Latin: Archeparchy Hemesena Graecorum Melkitarum-Epiphaniensis-Iabrudensis) is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. It was established on March 4, 1849. It is currently governed by Archeparch Jean-Abdo Arbach, BC.
Territory and statistics
The archeparchy extends in the central part of Syria, corresponding roughly to the Hama Governorate and Homs Governorate. Its archeparchial seat is the city of Homs, where is located the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace. In Yabrud is located the co-cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen.
The territory is divided into 21 parishes and there were 30,000 Melkite Catholics in 2010.
History
The archeparchy consists of territories that were once three separate ecclesiastical districts, Homs, Hama and Yabrud.
When in 1724 was born the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the three eparchies were gradually merged.
The union ultimately came during the patriarchate of Maximos III Mazloum and was contextually erected from eparchy of Homs to archeparchy on March 4, 1849.[2]
Bishops
- Ignace (mentioned in 1759)
- Jéremie (mentioned in 1790)
- Gregory Atta (February 20, 1849 - December 3, 1899 deceased)
- Flavien Khoury (November 21, 1901 - 1920 resigned)
- Basil Khoury (November 20, 1920 - October 25, 1938 deceased)
- Athanasios Toutoungi (October 1, 1938 - December 5, 1961 appointed Archbishop of Aleppo)
- Jean Bassoul, BS (December 5, 1961 - August 21, 1971 appointed Archbishop of Zahleh and Furzol)
- Denys Gaith, BC (August 21, 1971 - March 22, 1986 deceased)
- Abraham Nehmé, BC (August 20, 1986 - June 20, 2005 withdrawn)
- Isidore Battikha, BA (February 9, 2006 - September 6, 2010 resigned)
- Jean-Abdo Arbach, BC, from June 23, 2012