Melkite Greek Catholic Church

Holy Synod  

 

Holy Synod

Synods in history

Different kinds of present-day Synods

The Melkite Greek Catholic Hierarchy

 

Speech of His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III at the opening of the Holy Synod of the Melkite Church 21-26 June 2010

Synode préparatoire pour l'Eglise Catholique au Moyen Orient, le 4 novembre 2009 à Ain Traz - Aley

Holy Synod 1-6 juin 2009

Holy Synod 2-7 juin 2008

Holy Synod 18-23 Juin 2007

Holy Synod 2006

 

 

Holy Synod

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As a matter of etymology, the word synod comes from "Synodos" in Greek, and means an assembly or in modern jargon a congress.

 

Synods in history:

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The Ecumenical Synods or Councils were assemblies of the bishops of the Church, presided by the first Bishop, Pope of Rome, or by his delegate, exercising their collegial authority over the entire Church all over the world. The first seven Synods or Ecumenical Councils, recognized by both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, were held between 325 and 787 A.D. in the East, in Asia Minor, almost identical with what is now Turkey.

 

Different kinds of present-day Synods:

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1- The patriarchal Assembly: The members of this sort of Synod with a right to participate are the Patriarch, the eparchial bishops, exarchs governing an exarchate, the administrators of vacant sees and the superior generals of religious orders and congregations. This Assembly should be held at least every twenty years, and every time that the Patriarch in agreement with the Permanent Synod considers it necessary.
2- The Synod of Bishops: It is called to elect a Patriarch or bishops and to study the affairs of our Church.
3- Annual Assembly or Reunions of the Patriarch, the bishops and the other hierarchs of the region.
4- Eparchial Assembly, to be held in every eparchy at least every ten years.
5- The permanent Synod: This is composed of the Patriarch and of four bishops nominated for a five year period, two of them being eparchial bishops chosen by order of seniority of consecration, a third designated by the Patriarch and a fourth designated by the bishops. It must meet at least three times a year, and every time that there are matters to be dealt with needing its consent or advice. Fours bishops are: Isidor Batikha, George Bacouni, Youssef kallas & André Haddad.Fours Deputies:Youhana Janbart, George Haddad, Elias Rahal & Youhana Haddad.

 

The Melkite Greek Catholic Hierarchy

 (in order of consecration as from February 2006)

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H.B.Gregorios III: Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, of Alexandria and Jerusalem.Born in 1933. Consecrated on 29/10/1981 as Bishop and elected as Patriarch on 29/11/2000.

 Hilarion Capucci:Titular Archbishop of Caesarea of Palestine. Ad Extra Patriarchal Vicar of Jerusalem . Born in 1922. Consecrated on 5/9/1965

Gregorios Haddad:Titular Archbishop of Adana.  Retired Metropolitan of Beirut and Byblos. Born in 1924. Consecrated on 5/9/1965
      Paul Antaki: Titular Archbishop of Nubia. Retired Patriarchal Vicar for Egypt and Soudan . Born in 1927. Consecrated on 1/12/1968

Spiridon Mattar: retired Bishop of Our Lady of Paradise Sâo Paulo, Brazil. Born in 1921. Consecrated on 20/7/1978

Paul Borkhoche: Metropolitan of Bosra and Hauran, Syria. Born in 1932. Consecrated on 3/7/1983
       André Haddad: Archbishop of Furzol, Zahleh and the Bekaa, Lebanon. Born in 1930. Consecrated on  7/8/1983

John Adel Elya: retired Bishop of Newton, United States. Born in 1928. Consecrated on 29/6/1986.

Ibrahim Nehmeh: Retired Metropolitan of Homs, Hama and Yabroud, Syria. Born in 1927. Consecrated on 26/10/1986.

Georges Riachy: Archbishop of Tripoli, Lebanon. Born in 1933. Consecrated on 19/7/1987.

Georges Kwaiter: Retired Archbishop of Sidon and Deir el Kamar, Lebanon. Born in 1928. Consecrated on 23/10/1987.

Jean Haddad: Retired Metropolitan of Tyre, Lebanon. Born in 1926. Consecrated on 27/11/1988

Cyrille Bustros: Archbishop-Bishop of Newton, United States. Born in 1939. Consecrated on 27/11/1988

Nicholas Samra: Titular Bishop of Gerasa Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Newton. Born in 1944; he was consecrated on  7/6/1989

Antoine Hayek: Retired Archbishop of Marjeyun. Born in 1928 . Consecrated on 10/2/1990

Boutros Mouallem: retired Archbishop of Akka, Haifa and Galilee . Born in 1928. Consecrated on 29/6/1990

Isidore Battikha: Metropolitan of Homs, Hama and Yabroud, Syria. Born in 1950. Consecrated on 10/10/1992

Georges el Murr: Archbishop of Petra, Philadelphia and Transjordan. Born in 1930. Consecrated on 23/10/1992

Jean-Clément Jeanbart:  Metropolitan of Aleppo, Syria. Born in 1943. Consecrated on 16/9/1995

Fares Maakaroun: Archbishop-Bishop of Our Lady of Paradise in Sâo Paulo, Brazil. Born in 1940. Consecrated on  18/12/1995

Georges Kahaly: Apostolic Exarch of Venezuela. Born in 1938. Consecrated on 21/12/1995

Issam-John Darwish: Bishop of Australia and New Zealand. Born in 1945. Consecrated on 11/5/1996

Youssef Kallas: Metropolitan of  Beirut and Jbeil, Lebanon. Born in 1931. Consecrated on 19/2/2000

Nicholas Sawaf: Archbishop of Lattakieh, Syria. Born in 1943. Consecrated on 3/3/2000

Salim Ghazal: Titular Archbishop of Edessa, Patriarcal Auxiliary Emeritus. Born in 1931. Consecrated on 5/8/2001

Josef Absi:Titular Archbishop of Tarsus, Patriarcal Vicar in Damascus. Born in 1946. Consecrated on 2/9/2001

Jules Zreii: Titular Archbishop of Damietta Patriarchal Vicar for Egypt and Soudan. Born in 1941. Consecrated on 9/11/2001

Georges Haddad: Archbishop of Baniyas-Marjeyoun. Born in 1957. Consecrated on 23/6/2002

Ibrahim Ibrahim: Bishop of St Savior, Montreal, Canada. Born in 1962. Consecrated on 17/8/2003

Elias Rahhal: Archbishop of Baalbeck. Born in 1942. Consecrated on 25/7/2004

George Bacouni: Metropolitan of Tyre, Born in 1962. Consecrated on 27/11/2005

Elias Chacour: Archbishop of Akka, Haifa and Galilée. Born in 1939. Consecrated on 25/2/2006

Georges Bakar: Titular Pelusium, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem. Born in 1946. Consecrated on 24/3/2006

Michel Abrass: Auxiliary Bishop. Born in 1948. Consecrated on 10/12/2006

Abdo Arbash: Exarch Apostolic of Argentina. Born in 1952. Consecrated on 3/2/2007

Elie Haddad: Archbishop of Sidon and Deir El Kamar. Born in 1960. Consecrated on 24/3/2007

Yasser Ayach: Archpishop of Petra & Philadelphia (Amman). Born in 1955. Consecrated on 13/10/2007