The Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Saint Michael Archangel (Latin: Eparchia Sancti Michaëlis Sydneyensis Graecorum Melkitarum) is based in Sydney suburb of Darlington, Australia. The eparchy is administered by Bishop Robert Rabbat. The Rt. Rev. Abdallah Sayegh is the current vicar general. The eparchy was established in March 1987.

Territory and statistics

The eparchy includes all Catholic faithful of the

Melkite Greek Catholic Church el, Μελχιτική Ελληνική Καθολική Εκκλησία , image = Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Damascus, Syria.jpg , imagewidth = 200px , alt = , caption = , abbreviatio ...

in Australia and New Zealand. Its eparchial seat is in the town of Darlington, a suburb of Sydney, in New South Wales, where is located the Cathedral of St. Michael and All Angels. The territory is divided into 13 parishes and there were 50,000 Catholics in 2010.

History

In the mid-19th century began the migration of Christians of the

to Australia. The first colonies fixed in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, and later settled in other regions. After the number of believers was significantly increased, the need arose to exercise faith and the Eucharist in the

Byzantine rite The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, identifies the wide range of cultural, liturgical, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Christian Church of Constantinople. Th ...

. In 1889, an Archimandrite of the Basilian Chouerite Order of St. John the Baptist, Silwanos Mansour, was from Baalbek in Lebanon to Australia to visit his parents. At the request of the faithful, he remained, after he had obtained the administering approval of the Church in Sydney. Mansour began with the collection of donations, and in 1891 the cornerstone of the first church of the Melkite Greek Catholic community are placed. The foundation stone of the church was blessed by Bishop Higgins on behalf of the Roman Catholic Archbishop

Patrick Francis Moran Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran (16 September 183016 August 1911) was the third Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney and the first cardinal appointed from Australia. Early life Moran was born at Leighlinbridge, County Carlow, Ireland, on 16 ...

of Sydney. The dedication of the church took place in 1895 and was a meeting place for the Christian faithful from various Eastern Churches. Since 1895 at the church is sided the name "Saint Michael Archangel" Cathedral.

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

implemented the eparchy with the Apostolic constitution Quae quantaquevatican.va
/ref> on 26 March 1987. The territory of the diocese is covering also New Zealand since 22 September 1999 when Pope John Paul II, by decree of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, extended the jurisdiction of Eparchy also to the faithful of the Melkites in New Zealand.

Bishops

George Riashi George Riashi (Qaa el Reem, near Zahlé, Lebanon on November 25, 1933 – October 28, 2012) was the Greek Melkite Catholic bishop of Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli and all North Lebanon. Life George Riashi was one of nine chi ...

, B.C. (26 March 1987 – 28 July 1995), appointed Archbishop of Tripoli del Libano (Melkite Greek) *

Issam John Darwich Issam John Darwich, BS, (born 4 May 1945, Damascus, Syria) was Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahle and Forzol in Lebanon from 2011 to 2021. Life and education Issam Darwich, whose his baptismal name is John, was born in ...

, BSO, D.D. (4 August 1995 – 15 June 2011), appointed Archbishop of Zahleh e Furzol (Melkite Greek), Lebanon * Robert Rabbat (15 June 2011 – present)

References

External links

Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Australia & New Zealand
* * https://web.archive.org/web/20150227045049/http://melkite.org.au/history.aspx * http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/zmic0.htm * http://www.pgc-lb.org/fre/melkite_greek_catholic_church/Eparchy-of-Sydney-Australia-and-New-Zealand {{authority control 1987 establishments in Australia Lebanese Australian Melkite Greek Catholic eparchies Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Australia Christian organizations established in 1987 Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century Eastern Catholic dioceses in Oceania Darlington, New South Wales Arab-Australian culture

Territory and statistics

History

Bishops

See also

References

External links