Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre
| Archeparchy of Lebanon (Melkite Greek) Archeparchy Tyrensis Graecorum Melkitarum | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Statistics | |
| Population - Catholics |
(as of 2010) 3,100 |
| Parishes | 12 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Melkite Greek Catholic Church |
| Rite | Byzantine Rite |
| Established | 1683 |
| Cathedral | Saint Thomas Cathedral |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Patriarch | Gregory III Laham |
| Archeparch | Michael Abrass |
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre[1] (Latin: Archeparchy Tyrensis Graecorum Melkitarum) is a metropolitan see of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. In 2009 there were 3,100 baptized. It is currently governed by Archeparch Michael Abrass, BA.
Territory and statistics
The archeparchy includes the southwestern part of Lebanon, roughly corresponding to the district of Tyre. Its archeparchial seat is the city of Tyre, where is located the Cathedral of Saint Thomas.
The territory is divided into 12 parishes and has 3,100 Melkite Catholics.
History
The historical origin of the archeparchy is traced back to the New Testament. In Acts of Apostles, the church of Tyre (also Tyros) is mentioned in the missionary journey of Paul the Apostle "From Miletus about Caesarea to Jerusalem" (Acts 21.3 to 7 EU). Tyre was an ancient metropolitan see in Roman and Byzantine Empire. During Crusades was erected an archdiocese of the Latin rite. The Roman Catholic Church built around 1124 the Archdiocese of Tyre, the territory encompassed the city and region of Tyre. Since Tyre was conquered in 1291 by the Muslim Mamluks, the archdiocese became titular.
The Archeparchy of Tyre of the Melkites are in communion with Rome since 1683 and its first Melkite archbishop was Euthymios Saifi. Under Patriarch Cyril VI Tanas it was reorganized by the Melkite Patriarchate. Initially it was united with the seats of Sidon and Akka; later ceded portions of territory for the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon in 1752 and Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Akka[2] in 1759.
Following the war in Lebanon, many of the faithful have moved elsewhere, especially in Australia or Canada. Today the Melkitey Greek-Catholic community is reduced to little more than 3,000 faithful.
Eparchs
- Euthymios Michael Saifi (1683 - 27 November 1723 deceased)
- Ignatius El Beyrouthy (1724 - 1752 resigned)
- Andrée Fakhoury (1752 - 1764)
- Parthenios Naameh (1766 - 1805)
- Basil Attalah (1806 - 1809)
- Cyrille Khabbaz (31 July 1810 - 1819 or 1826)
- Basil Zakar (1827 - 1834)
- Ignatius Karouth, B.S. (1837 - 1854)
- Athanasius Sabbagh (1855 - 1866)
- Athanasius Khawam, B.S. (14 April 1867 - 1886)
- Euthymius Zulhof, B.S. (13 June 1886 - 28 November 1913 deceased)
- Vacant (1913-1919)
- Amine Rizkallah Saigh, S.M.S.P. (30 August 1919 ordained bishop - 30 August 1933 appointed arcieparca of Beirut and Jbeil)
- Agapios Salomon Naoum, B.S. (3 November 1933 - 15 October 1965 withdrawn)
- Georges Haddad (30 July 1965 - 31 December 1985 deceased)
- Vacant (1985-1988)
- Jean Assaad Haddad (26 October 1988 - 20 June 2005 withdrawn)
- Georges Bacouni (20 October 2005 - 21 June 2014 appointed arcieparca Akka)
- Michael Abrass, B. A. (from 21 June 2014)