Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Baalbek (in Latin: Archeparchia Heliopolitana Graecorum Melkitarum) is a diocese of the Catholic Church immediately subject to the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Melkites. It is currently governed by Archbishop

Elias Rahal Elias Rahal, SMSP (born on 14 April 1942 in Ras Baalbek, Lebanon) is since 28 June 2004 the incumbent Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Baalbek in Lebanon. Life Elias Rahal was ordained on June 28, 1970 by Melkite Paulist ...

Territory and statistics

The archeparchy includes the northern part of the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. Its Archeparchial seat is the city of Baalbek, where is the Saint Barbara Cathedral. In 2012 there were 20,000 baptized and its territory is divided into seven parishes.

History

Baalbek is an ancient seat, already known in the fourth century by the name of Heliopolis of Phoenicia. It has had a presence of Catholic Bishops since 1701, when its bishop sent a profession of the Catholic faith to the Pope in Rome. This profession is still preserved in the archives of the

Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP; ) was a congregation (Roman Curia), congregation of the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church in Rome, responsible for Catholic missions, missionary work and related activities. It is also kn ...

. Baalbek was a suffragan of the

Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus of the Melkites (in Latin: Archeparchy Damascena Graecorum Melkitarum) is a metropolitan and patriarchal see. In 2010 there were 150,000 baptized. The current vicar of Patriarch Joseph Absi, Youssef Ab ...

until it acquired its autonomy in 1849. The cathedral with the bishop's palace were built during the episcopate of Germanos Mouakkad; the church was consecrated by Eparch Agapitos Malouf in 1897. Bishop Germanos Mouakkad was the founder of the Society of the Missionaries of St. Paul. On November 18, 1964 this eparchy was elevated to the rank of archeparchy. In 1997 was celebrated the centenary of the dedication of the cathedral and the nineteenth centenary of the arrival of the first bishop of Baalbek / Heliopolis.

Eparchs and Archeparchs

* Partenios (Haddad?) (1680 - 27 October 1722 deceased) * Makarios (1724 -?) * Basilios Bitar, BC (31 March 1754 - 1 January 1761 deceased) * Philippe Qussayr, BC (1761 - July 24, 1777 deceased) * Benoit Turkmani, BC (April 13, 1785 - November 22, 1808 deceased) * Clément Moutran, BC (1810 - July 3, 1827 deceased) * Etienne (Athanasius) Ubayd, BC (11 December 1827 - 1850 deceased) * Elias (Meletios) Fendeh (14 November 1851 - 1st or September 10, 1869 deceased) * Basilios Nasser (October 17, 1869 consecrated - September 26, 1885 deceased) *

Germanos Mouakkad Germanos Mouakkad (born April 1853 in Damascus, Syria - died on 11 February 1912 in Beirut) was a Melkite priest and bishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Baalbek. He was the maternal great-uncle of William Peter Blatty, bestselling ...

, BS (March 16, 1887 consecrated - February 1894 resigned)archive.org
/ref> * Agapitos Malouf, BC (March 29, 1896 - February 12, 1922 deceased) * Meletius Abou-Assaleh (5 June 1922 consecrated - June 27, 1937 deceased) *

Joseph Malouf Rasheed Saleem "Joseph" Malouf (December 20, 1893 – March 5, 1968) was the Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Baalbek, Lebanon. Born in Zabbougha, Lebanon, Malouf was ordained a Melkite priest on July 20, 1925. He was appointed bishop of ...

, SMSP (October 5, 1937 - March 5, 1968 deceased) *

Elias Zoghby Elias Zoghby (9 January 1912 – 16 January 2008) was an Egyptian-born Lebanese Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Baalbek in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1968 to 1988. He was known as a leading advocate of Catholic–Ortho ...

(September 9, 1968 - October 24, 1988 withdrawn) *

Cyril Salim Bustros Cyril Salim Bustros (born January 26, 1939) is a Lebanese Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Beirut and Byblos in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church since 1988. He previously served as Archbishop of Baalbeck and later as Eparch o ...

, SMSP (October 25, 1988 - June 22, 2004 appointed archeparch, personally, of Newton) *

, SMSP (since 28 June 2004)

References

External links

* http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbaal.html * http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/baal0.htm * http://www.pgc-lb.org/fre/melkite_greek_catholic_church/Archeparchy-of-Baalbeck * http://booksnow2.scholarsportal.info/ebooks/oca2/4/dictionnairedhis06bauduoft/dictionnairedhis06bauduoft.pdf {{coord, 34.0069, N, 36.2039, E, source:wikidata, display=title Baalbek Melkite Greek Catholic eparchies Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Lebanon