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June 21, 2017

Melkite Catholic Church elects new patriarch, a native of Syria

Melkite Catholic Church elected Bishop Bishop Joseph Absi as the new patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem and All the East during its synod at Ain-Traz, Lebanon June 21.

BEIRUT – Bishop Joseph Absi was elected the new Melkite patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem and All the East during the Melkite Catholic Synod at Ain-Traz, Lebanon.

Published in International
May 9, 2017

Pope accepts resignation of Melkite patriarch

Melkite Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham is seen at the Vatican Oct. 6, 2015. The Vatican announced May 6 that Pope Francis had accepted the resignation of the Melkite Catholic Church leader.

VATICAN CITY – Two months after bishops of the Melkite Catholic Church declared they had reconciled with each other and found a way to move forward together, the Vatican announced Pope Francis had accepted the resignation of Melkite Patriarch Gregoire III Laham.

Published in Vatican
February 27, 2017

Reconciliation marks Melkite bishops' synod after months of interruption

Several Melkite bishops boycotted the bishops' synod June 2016, demanding the resignation of Patriarch Gregoire III Laham, pictured at the Vatican in 2015.

BEIRUT – The Melkite Catholic Church resumed its Synod of Bishops after nearly an eight-month interruption.

Published in International
June 23, 2016

Ten Melkite bishops demand patriarch’s resignation, boycott synod

Melkite Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham arrives for the morning session of the Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 6, 2015.

BEIRUT – The Melkite Catholic Synod of Bishops was cancelled after 10 bishops boycotted, resulting in a lack of quorum.

Published in International
March 18, 2015

Patriarch rejects calls for outside military intervention in Syria

A man carries the body of a child after what activists said were airstrikes by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus Feb. 5.

VATICAN CITY - The head of the Melkite Catholic Church rejected outright all calls for an international military intervention in Syria and urged Pope Francis and all Christian churches to "promote a concrete and realistic road map" to peace in the beleaguered nation.

Published in International