Elie Bechara Haddad, BS (born 28 January 1960) is a Lebanese prelate of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church who has been the Archeparch of the

Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon (in Latin: Archeparchia Sidoniensis Graecorum Melkitarum) is a diocese of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church suffragan of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre. In 2010 there were 32,000 baptized ...

since 2007.

Biography

Elie Bechara Haddad was born on 28 January 1960 in

Ablah, Lebanon Ablah ( ar, أبلح) is a village located in the Zahlé District of the Beqaa Governorate in Lebanon. History In 1838, Eli Smith noted Ablah's population being Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is ...

, under the

Beqaa Governorate Beqaa ( ') is a governorate in Lebanon. Districts Since 2014, Beqaa Governorate contains three districts: * West Beqaa * Rashaya * Zahle A law was passed in 2003 to separate Baalbek District and Hermel District from Beqaa Governorate to form a ...

. He made his religious vows in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer of the Melkite Basilians on 3 September 1983. After the subsequent formation of priests, he was on 9 July 1986 ordained to the priesthood. After his ordination he studied Civil Law in Rome and received his PhD in 1994 at the

Pontifical Lateran University The Pontifical Lateran University ( it, Pontificia Università Lateranense; la, Pontificia Universitas Lateranensis), also known as Lateranum, is a pontifical university based in Rome. The university also hosts the central session of the Pont ...

Canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

. He was Chairman of the

Appellate court A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of ...

in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. In 1995 Haddad was elected consecrated Archimandrite and office manager of the Patriarchal office in Raboué. In 1990 he was appointed chaplain of the "Movement of Apostolate of Children (IMAC)" in Lebanon. From 1990 to 2001 Haddad was secretary of his order and directed the Seminary of the Basilians. From 2001 to 2006 he taught canon law at the Saint Joseph University in Beirut, the

Holy Spirit University of Kaslik The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (french: Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK); ar, جامعة الرّوح القدس – الكسليك, ''Jāmiʿah al-Rūḥ al-Quddus – al-Kaslīk''), is a private, not-for-profit Catholic univer ...

, the Sagessa University in Beirut and in the Saint Paul Institute of Theology and Philosophy in Harissa. The Synod of the Melkite bishops elected him on 11 October 2006 to succeed

Georges Kwaïter Georges Kwaïter (born on April 28. 1928 in Damascus, Syria - died on July 26, 2011) was an Archeparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon. Life On 15 July 1951 Georges Kwaïter made his perpetual vows in his Congregation of the Mos ...

as Archbishop of Sidon. On 27 January 2007

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...

confirmed his appointment. Haddad was consecrated by Melkite Patriarch of Antioch

Gregory III Laham Gregory III Laham, Basilian Salvatorian Order, B.S. ( ar, غريغوريوس الثالث لحام; la, Gregorius III Lahamus; born Lutfy Laham, December 15, 1933, in Darayya, Syria), Emeritus Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, Patriarch ...

. The co-consecrators were Georges Kwaïter and

Joseph Kallas Joseph Kallas, SMSP (born on September 24, 1931 in Fakiha, Lebanon) is Emeritus Melkite Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Byblos. Biography Joseph Kallas was ordained a priest on 13 August 1958 by the White Fathe ...

of Beirut and Byblos. On 31 January 2021,

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

appointed him apostolic administrator of the

Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre (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 an Apostolic Administrator, Ar ...

Views

Haddad participated in the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Middle East that met in Rome in October 2010. He decried the emigration of Christians from Lebanon and their land sales that demonstrate they do not intend to return. He said the Eastern Churches connected to Rome need to demonstrate mutual solidarity to prevent Christianity from disappearing. He called for the Church to distinguish clearly between Islam on the whole and certain fundamentalist movements within Islam. He asked for "a more sustainable form of support for the Oriental Churches" on the part of Rome that would recognize its role in economic development to tie Christians to their ancestral localities and create jobs.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Haddad, Elie Bechara 1960 births Living people Lebanese Melkite Greek Catholics Melkite Greek Catholic bishops People from Beqaa Governorate