Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Akka

Archeparchy of Akka (Melkite Greek)
Archieparchia Ptolemaidensis Melchitarum

Location
Country Israel
Statistics
Population
- Catholics		 (as of 2012)
76,700
Parishes 33
Information
Denomination Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Rite Byzantine Rite
Established 1753
Cathedral Saint Elias Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Patriarch Gregory III Laham
Archeparch George Bacouni
Emeritus Bishops Elias Chacour

Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Akka (in Latin: Archieparchia Ptolemaidensis Melchitarum) is an Eastern Catholic diocese of Melkite Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine Rite, Arabic), directly subject to the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch. Its Cathedral episcopal see is St. Elijah Greek-Melkite Cathedral, in Haifa.

Territory and statistics

The archeparchy extends its jurisdiction to Melkites of Israel, especially of Galilee. Headquarters of archeparchy (archdiocese) is Haifa, where is the Saint Elias Cathedral. Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Akka counted 76,700 baptized members,[1] and had a territory subdivided in 33 parishes in 2012.

As of 2014 the Melkite Greek Catholic Church was the largest Christian community in Israel, where about 60% of Israeli Christians belonged to the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.[2]

History

Ancient Ptolemais-Akre was the site of the visit of Paul of Tarsus during his trip described in Acts of Apostles.[3] Soon, the city was a strong Christian community. In the third century was established headquarters of an ancient episcopal see here and the capital of the bishop of the diocese, which is suffragan of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre, referring to the ancient period in Ptolemais in Phoenicia, called Acre in the Crusader period.

In 1753, the see was restored as a Melkite diocese by Patriarch Cyril VI Tanas and attached once again to Tyre, which had become independent from Jerusalem. However, the Melkite bishops of Acre began to reside there only in 1804.[4]

Before 1932, the jurisdiction of Acre included Transjordan. The see became an Archeparchy on November 18, 1964 with the Papal Bull Apostolic constitution of Pope Paul VI[5] and includes all Galilee.

List of Episcopal Ordinaries

Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchs (Bishops) of Akka
Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchs (Archishops) of Akka

See also

References

  1. ↑ Archeparchy of Akka [San Giovanni d’Acri; Tolemaide: (Melkite Greek)
  2. ↑ "The Christian communities in Israel". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 1 May 2014. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  3. ↑ pl.wikisource.org
  4. ↑ catholicchurch-holyland.com
  5. ↑ vatican.va

Coordinates: 32°49′09″N 34°59′41″E / 32.8192°N 34.9946°E / 32.8192; 34.9946

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