The Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch is the only actual residential Patriarchate of the

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

(

Eastern Catholic The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of t ...

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 ...

). It was formed in 1724 when a portion of the Orthodox Church of Antioch went into communion with Rome, becoming an

Eastern Catholic Church The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of t ...

, while the rest of the ancient Patriarchate continues in full communion with the rest of the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via ...

. The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch's present complete title is ''Patriarch of Antioch and of All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church'', incorporating both of the church's other titular patriarchates. Its archiepiscopal see is the Cathedral of the Dormition of Our Lady (Arabic: كاتدرائية سيدة النياح للروم الملكيين في دمشق ) in

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. It was visited by

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 ...

in 2001. The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is one of five churches that are continuations of the original

See of Antioch Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (ἐπίσκοπος, ''episkopos'', from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian c ...

. Thus, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church traces its existence all the way back to

Saint Peter Saint Peter; he, שמעון בר יונה, Šimʿōn bar Yōnāh; ar, سِمعَان بُطرُس, translit=Simʿa̅n Buṭrus; grc-gre, Πέτρος, Petros; cop, Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ, Petros; lat, Petrus; ar, شمعون الصفـا, Sham'un ...

in a line of

apostolic succession Apostolic succession is the method whereby the ministry of the Christian Church is held to be derived from the apostles by a continuous succession, which has usually been associated with a claim that the succession is through a series of bish ...

acknowledged by both Catholic and Orthodox canons. This claim is accepted by the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

and is not disputed by the other two

Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of th ...

that also claim descent from the ancient See of Antioch, namely the

Maronite Church The Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic ''sui iuris'' particular church in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. The current head of the Maro ...

and the

Syriac Catholic Church The Syriac Catholic Church ( syc, ܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝܬܐ, ʿĪṯo Suryayṯo Qaṯolīqayṯo, ar, الكنيسة السريانية الكاثوليكية) is an Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic Christianity ...

,The Syriac Catholic Church: History
which both also have Patriarchs of Antioch.

Proper province and archdiocese

The Patriarch also holds the office of Metropolitan of an empty

Ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United State ...

without an actual

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...

see, actually comprising only his proper Metropolitan Archeparchy of Damascus (of the Melkites)/ Damasco (Curiate Italian) / Dimašq / Aš-Šām / Damascen(us) Græcorum Melkitarum (Latin). Like the Patriarchate, in Rome it depends only upon the

Congregation for the Oriental Churches The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (also called Dicastery for the Oriental Churches), previously named Congregation for the Oriental Churches or Congregation for the Eastern Churches ( la, Congregatio pro Ecclesiis Orientalibus), is a dicaste ...

. During a vacancy in the Patriarchate (such as following the resignation of

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 ...

in 2017), the bishop of the permanent synod who is most senior by ordination serves as administrator in chief of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. As per 2014, it pastorally served 3,000 Catholics in 8 parishes and 1 mission with 9 priests (6 diocesan, 3 religious), 3 deacons, 33 lay religious (3 brothers, 30 sisters) and 10 seminarians.

Titular Patriarchates of Alexandria and of Jerusalem

In continuation of the earlier Melkite patriarchates of those ancient sees, two ''titular patriarchates'' exist, which are however simply titles, vested in the residential Patriarch of Antioch, which also have Catholic residential counterparts: * Melkite Catholic Titular

Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch of Alexandria is the archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation "pope" (etymologically "Father", like "Abbot"). The Alexandrian episcopate was revered as one of the three major episco ...

* Melkite Catholic Titular Patriarch of Jerusalem

List of Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem

Cyril VI Tanas Patriarch Cyril VI Tanas, also known as Cyril VI of Antioch (born in 1680, Damascus – died on January 10, 1760), became the first Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church followi ...

(born Syria) (1724.10.01 – death 1759.07.08) *

Athanasius IV Jawhar Athanasius IV Ignace Michael Jawhar (or ''Jahouar'' or ''Jauhar'' or ''Giohar'', 1733–1794) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1788 to 1794. He previously claimed to be patriarch from 1759 to 1764 and from 1765 to 1768. L ...

( aouhar (born Syria) first term (1759.07.19 – 1760.08.01), next Eparch (Bishop) of

Saida of the Greek-Melkites 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 baptiz ...

(Lebanon) (1761 – 1788.05.05 ''see below'') * Maximos II Hakim (born Syria),

Basilian Chouerite Order of Saint John the Baptist The Basilian Chouerite Order of Saint John the Baptist ( la, Ordo Basilianus Sancti Iohannis Baptistæ) is a Melkite Greek Catholic monastic order of Pontifical Right for Men. The members of the Order add the nominal B.C after their names to ind ...

(B.C.) (1760.08.01 – death 1761.11.15); previously Archeparch (Archbishop) of

Aleppo of the Greek-Melkites Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo (Latin: Archidioecesis Aleppensis o Beroeensis Graecorum Melkitarum) is an archeparchy of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church located in Syria, based in Aleppo. Its current archeparch is Jean-Clément J ...

(Syria) (1732 – 1760.08.01) *

Theodosius V Dahan Theodosius V (Athanase Joasaph) Dahan (1698–1788) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1761 to 1788. Life Joasaph Dahan was born in Beirut in 1698. He entered in the religious order of the Basilian Chouerites and in 172 ...

(born Syria), B.C. (1761.12.24 – death 1788.04.10), previously Metropolitan Archeparch (Archbishop) of Beirut of the Greek-Melkites (Lebanon) (1736 – 1761.12.24) *

second term (''see above'' 1788.05.05 – death 1794.12.02) * Cyril VII Siaj (born Syria) (1794.12.11 – death 1796.08.06), previously Metropolitan Archbishop of Bosra of the Greek-Melkites (Syria) (1763 – 1794.12.11) *

Agapius II Matar Agapius II Matar, (sometime also known as ''Agapios III'', 1736–1812) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1796 to 1812. Life Agapius Matar was born in 1736 in Damascus. He entered young in the Basilian Salvatorian Order. ...

(born Syria), B.S. (1796.09.11 – 1812.02.02), previously

Superior General A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...

Basilian Order of the Most Holy Saviour , abbreviation = BS , nickname = Salvatorian Fathers , formation = , founder = Archbishop Euthymios Michael Saifi , founding_location = Saida, Lebanon , type = Monastic order of pontifical rig ...

(B.S., Salvatorian Fathers) (1789 – 1795), Eparch (Bishop) of

Saïdā of the Greek-Melkites 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 ...

(Lebanon) (1795 – 1796.09.11) *

Ignatius IV Sarrouf Ignatius IV (Youssef) Sarrouf (or ''Aganatios Sarruf'', 1742–1812) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in 1812. He is remembered for both his patriarchate (short and ended by his murder), and for having been, as metropolitan of B ...

(born Syria) (1812) *

Athanasius V Matar Athanasius V Gabriel Matar was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church for a few months in 1813. Life Gabriel Matar was born in Damascus. He was the brother of patriarch Agapius II Matar and, as his brother, he too entered in the relig ...

(born Syria) (1813) *

Macarius IV Tawil Macarius IV Tawil (or ''Taouil'') was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1813 to 1815. Life Macarius Tawil was born in Damascus. He entered in the religious order of the Basilian Salvatorians of which he was Superior from 18 ...

(born Syria) (1813–1815) * Ignatius V Qattan (born Syria) (1816–1833) * Maximos III Mazloum (born Syria) (1833–1855) *

Clement Bahouth Clement Michael Bahouth (or ''Clement Bahous'', 1799–1882), was patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church from 1856 until his resignation in 1864. Life Michael Bahouth was born in 1799 near Acre. In 1816 he entered in the Holy Saviour monaster ...

(born Egypt) (1856–1864) * Gregory II Youssef-Sayur (born Egypt) (1864–1897) *

Peter IV Jaraijiry Peter IV Barakat Géraigiry (or ''Jaraijiry'', 1841–1902) was patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1898 until 1902. Life Born in Zahlé, Lebanon on August 6, 1841, Géraigiry was ordained Priesthood (Catholic Church), priest on ...

(born Lebanon) (1898–1902) *

Cyril VIII Geha Cyril VIII Geha (or ''Jeha''), (November 26, 1840 – January 11, 1916) was patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1902 until 1916. He was the last Melkite Catholic patriarch of the Ottoman era. Life Geha was born in Aleppo, S ...

(born Syria) (1902–1916) **''vacant'' (1916–1919) *

Demetrius I Qadi Demetrius I Qadi (or ''Dimitros I Cadi'') (January 18, 1861, Damascus, Syria – October 25, 1925) was Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1919 until 1925. Life Jose ...

(born Syria) (March 29, 1919 – October 25, 1925) *

Cyril IX Moghabghab Cyril IX Moghabghab (October 29, 1855 in Ain Zhalta, Ottoman Syria – September 8, 1947 in Alexandria, Egypt) served as Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1925 to 1947 ...

(born Lebanon) (December 8, 1925 – September 8, 1947) *

Maximos IV Sayegh Maximos IV Sayegh (or ''Saïgh''; 10 April 1878, in Aleppo, Syria – 5 November 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon) was Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1947 until his death ...

(born Syria) (October 30, 1947 – November 5, 1967) *

Maximos V Hakim Maximos V Hakim ( ar, ماكسيموس الخامس حكيم; May 18, 1908, in Tanta, Egypt – June 29, 2001, Beirut, Lebanon) was elected Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Alexandria and Jerusalem of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church i ...

(born Egypt) (November 22, 1967 – November 22, 2000) ** Jean Assaad Haddad as

Apostolic Administrator An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...

(June 6, 2000 – November 29, 2000) *

(born Syria) (November 29, 2000 – May 6, 2017) ** Jean-Clément Jeanbart as Administrator (May 6, 2017 – June 21, 2017) * Youssef I Absi (born Syria) (June 21, 2017 – present)

Auxiliary Episcopate of the See of Antioch

* Auxiliary Bishop: François Abou Mokh, B.S. (1996 – 1998.07.27) * Auxiliary Bishop: Isidore Battikha, B.A. (66) (1992.08.25 – 2006.02.09) * Auxiliary Bishop: Jean Mansour, M.S.P. (1980.08.19 – 1997) * Auxiliary Bishop: François Abou Mokh, B.S. (1978.02.07 – 1992) * Auxiliary Bishop: Élias Nijmé, B.A. (1971.08.16 – 1978.02.07) * Auxiliary Bishop: Saba Youakim, B.S. (1968.09.09 – 1970.10.15) * Auxiliary Bishop: Nicolas Hajj (1965.07.30 – 1984.11.03) * Auxiliary Bishop: Néophytos Edelby, Basilian Aleppian Order (B.A.) (1961.12.24 – 1968.03.06) * Auxiliary Bishop: Pierre Kamel Medawar, Society of Missionaries of Saint Paul (M.S.P.) (1943.03.13 – 1969)

Gallery

File: Maksymos III Mazloum.jpg , Maximos III Mazloum File:Gregory II Youssef.jpg, Gregory II Youssef File:Peter IV Geraigiry.jpg, Peter IV Jeraigiry File:Cyril VIII Geha.jpg, Cyril VIII Geha File: Demetrius I Quadi.jpg , Demetrius I Qadi File: George Hakim 1960 (cropped).jpg, Maximos V Hakim File:Gregorio.III.laham.JPG, Gregory III Laham File:BISHOP patriarc youssef absi june 7th 2018.JPG, Youssef Absi

References

Sources and external links

List of the Melkite Patriarchs of Antioch from Melkite Church official website

* ttp://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/dama0.htm GCatholic - Patriarchal proper Metropolitan Archeparchy of Damascus
History of Melkite Church including Cannons regarding Reunion with Rome and the legal continuation of the See of Antioch.

Legal circumstances of union with Rome.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antioch, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate Eastern Catholic dioceses Eastern Catholic patriarchates Eastern Catholic bishops by diocese Lists of patriarchs * Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs Catholic Church in Jerusalem